...your scenario is impossible.

If President Obama comes up with less than 270 Electoral College votes, he didn't get a majority at all, much less a clear one. There's only one case the House would decide - if each candidate gets 269 Electoral College votes.

If the President comes up with less than 270, we're all screwed, something I'm not prepared to contemplate just yet.

if you mean he wins a clear majority of the POPULAR vote, but less than 270 electoral votes, then rmoney becomes president.

the house doesn't determine the president unless it's an actual tie, 269-269. but there's nothing really controversial or scandalous about that. how the house would decide (strict party line vote) is a foregone conclusion. the NEW congress would do this, so in theory democrats could have a majority then, but in practice, that's unlikely enough with a strong obama victory, and quite remote with obama merely getting 269.


in theory, it's possible for obama to get a clear PLURALITY of the votes -- substantially more than anyone else -- but still not a majority, in which case the house would also decide. however, mathematically, that would require a third candidate to win at least one electoral votes (so, 269-268-1). but that is exceedingly unlikely.

There are 538 total electoral votes.

some esitmates said that was possible, but if it is not...ok.

Since there is no viable third party candidate (read that as Nader or Lee Mercer, Jr.) that is the only way it could happen this year.

throw any spanners into the works? All it would take is one.

And since congress is not likely to go democratic, this really will be no good.
So lets hope this does not happen!