Kerry Calls Bush to Concede Election
NewsMax.com Wires
Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2004
WASHINGTON President Bush won a second term from a
divided and anxious nation, his promise of steady, strong wartime
leadership trumping John Kerry's fresh-start approach to Iraq and
joblessness. After a long, tense night of vote counting, the
Democrat called Bush Wednesday to concede Ohio and the presidency,
The Associated Press learned.
Kerry ended his quest, concluding one of the most expensive and
bitterly contested races on record, with a call to the president
shortly after 11 a.m. EST, according to two officials familiar with
the conversation.
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The victory gave Bush four more years to pursue the war on
terror and a conservative, tax-cutting agenda, and probably the
opportunity to name one or more justices to an aging Supreme Court.
He also will preside over expanded Republican majorities in
Congress.
"Congratulations, Mr. President," Kerry said in the
conversation described by sources as lasting less than five
minutes. One of the sources was Republican, the other a Democrat.
The Democrat source said Bush called Kerry a worthy, tough and
honorable opponent. Kerry told Bush the country was too divided,
the source said, and Bush agreed. "We really have to do something
about it," Kerry said, according to the Democrat official.
Kerry placed his call after weighing unattractive options
overnight. With Bush holding fast to a six-figure lead in
make-or-break Ohio, Kerry could give up or trigger a struggle that
would have stirred memories of the bitter recount in Florida that
propelled Bush to the White House in 2000.
© 2004 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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