It is important to note that despite the EV, Carter is not actually the biggest defeat for an incumbent. Hoover lost by seventeen, Taft lost by almost twenty, by comparison, Carter lost by "only" nine. There were also seven states decided by less than two percent, which would have accounted for sixty-three electoral votes, and could have easily gone to him had he had a little more luck, or Reagan had a little less luck, or had Anderson simply not run and two third of his vote go to Carter. The point is that while Carter did lose big, it is important to note that the magnitude of his landslide is widely blown out of proportion
Also, Carter at least managed 40% of the popular vote, Bush only got 37% in 1992.
