The argument for the popular vote is: “Hey, the person who gets the most votes wins.” I get that.
The argument for the Electoral College is: “Small states should have their say.” I get that, too.
How about this? Any candidate who can’t win both shouldn’t be President. If the popular vote and the electoral vote go in different directions, let the electors meet and pick the President with the provision that it can’t be either of the two “semi-winners”. Oh, and their choice has to get a 2/3rds vote of that body. They ballot continuously until they reach a choice. If they don’t come up with somebody by Jan 20th, the incumbent remains acting President until they do.
Wouldn’t that be interesting?