According to the exit poll data, a majority of Americans, 52 percent, believe things in this country today are “seriously off on the wrong track.” Even more Americans, 55 percent, believe economic conditions are either “getting worse” (30 percent) or “poor and staying the same” (25 percent). And an even higher 77 percent say the condition of the economy is either “not so good” (45 percent) or “poor” (31 percent). And here is the kicker, even though Obama is poised to win 51 percent of the popular vote, more Americans said Mitt Romney would better handle the economy (49 percent) than said the same thing about Obama (48 percent).

Given all this data, how did Obama win? Simple: by relentlessly attacking Romney, thus driving down Republican turnout, while orchestrating an unprecedented micro-targeting campaign to drive base Democratic voters to the polls. On the former, The Washington Post reports: