Maybe if the election weren't going to be so dadgum close, the major parties wouldn't try stunts like this. Less than 200,000 votes in a single state is way too close for my liking. I don't consider nail-biter elections to be a sign of strength of the system. I consider them to be signs of polarization in society that if allowed to fester will contribute to the overall breakdown of the system. A more substantial but yet still modest (say 55%-45%) margin of victory is more my style. A reasonably sound endorsement of a set of policies without it being a blank check.