Breaking: Kerry concedes

This from CNN:

Sen. John Kerry calls President Bush to concede presidential election, CNN has learned. Details soon.

More from the AP:

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.

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 Democratic 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 Democratic official.

Comments

[Laurel Avery]

What happened to "every vote will be counted??????" I am seething and feel that we have been completely betrayed. I want to burn the flag. Democracy is dead.

[Jim]

I commend Kerry for taking the high road and conceding and not dragging this out. Of course every vote should be counted. But he's smart enough to know that there is no way he's going to make up 136,000 votes from the provisional ballots. I don't know how he could possibly get 85% of the provisional ballots (minimum) in a state where he's only been getting 49%.

[kristen]

Hey ex-pats - you're about to have more company.

[ebg]

This one is over, but the fight to reclaim our country has just begun. We must not give up. Democrats, liberals, progressives...all must start TODAY to regroup, get back in the trenches and do what the Repubs have been doing since the sixties; getting "red America" to believe that we can do better for them and for the country than the other party can. This fight is won at the grass roots level. Repubs and the horrifying religious-right know this; Dems don't seem to have noticed it until this election year.

They will not make the US into a fascist state and world pariah UNLESS WE GIVE UP AND LET THEM.

[Luke]

Too right.

What is that quote - I paraphrase - "For evil to succeed it is only necessary that good men (and women) do nothing."

shit, time to move to Mexico

[Alexandra]

This is so depressing, but even more so when you think about how truly divided the country is. It really seems like someone with a split personality and the paranoid and bullying spirit has taken over the body. There are now two very distinct visions of America. And sadly, the diseased one has taken over. Luke is right of course. But it feels very dark indeed right now.

[Chrish]

I can't believe the sour grapes coming from you
guys. Perhaps you would be wise in taking stock as to the why you lost. You can't claim miscounts, disenfranchised, nor the courts are to
blame.

The fact that the Pres. got both the popular vote and the electoral vote should raise the question why? Not the typical whining and moaning that seems to always come from the Liberals (Progressives) whenever you don't get your way.

Is it possible that this election was a resounding
rejection by the majority of Liberalism or, as
many of you now want to be called, Progressives?

Did any of that possibly occur to any of you? What do I read here? "I'm going to tear up my passport and never come back.", "the diseased has taken over", "I feel betrayed"!!! What the hell
is this all about?

For evil to succeed it is only necessary that good men (and women) do nothing."? Did it ever
occur to you that perhaps, just perhaps, good men
(and women) did do something; a rejection of what
Liberalism (Progressives) have become??

Is it also possible that maybe the country has been reclaimed.

I also commend Kerry for conceding the election
I'm sure that was a hard and difficult decision to make. But, to read your sobbing lines, your wailing and whining about it is really disappointing.

Is this what the Democratic Party has become; a party of whiners, complainers, and what's in it for me, and die hard malcontents who aren't happy unless they're getting their way?

Perhaps it is best if you tear up your passports
or move to Mexico, or stay in your country of choice. We just might be better off?

[ebg]

I assure you I won't be clamoring to move back to the US any time soon. There's no reason.

Enjoy your reclaimed country.

[ebg]

Addendum: I say that not as sour grapes, but as a realization of what America has become.

I am a Liberal. Or progressive, if you prefer. Unbowed, unashamed. I believe in classical Liberalism.

Perhaps this election is a final rejection of Liberalism by the USA. In that case, I have no desire to continue to be American. The US is no longer a country that embodies my values and beliefs.

I am lucky--I will have a choice. In a few years, I will be offered the opportunity to become a European citizen; assuming, of course, that the US does not burn its bridges with the Euros so badly that they close citizenship to USAians.

I pity my Liberal brethren in the US, who have no such option.

[Chrish]

I'm truly sorry you feel that way ebg, I truly am.
It's also quite possible that you no longer embody
the values and beliefs that are the founding principles of Our country?

"We talked about the danger of division in our country and the need — the desperate need — for unity, for finding common ground and coming together,” Kerry said. “Today, I hope we can begin the healing." John Kerry's talk with George W. Bush.

How sad that while John Kerry is talking about
unity, common ground, coming together, and healing
all you guys can do is present your anger, resentment, bitterness, divisiveness, "poor me" attitude, and, what appears to be, temper tantrums.

How sad for you, how very sad for you. I truly hope you do become a European citizen for your own sake.

One other note ebg, I too was for "classical liberalism" but, I am definitely not for what liberalism (Progessives) has become.

[ebg]

What can I say. Perhaps I don't embody American founding principles? Enlightenment principles? The true liberalism?

I think I do. You think perhaps I may not. There's really no argument to have here, besides he said/she said, and that does not interest me in the least. My life matters to me, even if it does not to the majority of the US population, and I have no time to waste on I said/you said arguments.

I will never get behind Bush and his cabal, although I cannot now call them illegal, I will never stop calling them EVIL. I have never in my life used that word about an American administration, even while I watched friends die from AIDS while the Reagan administration did not even notice.

I am just glad I have an escape hatch.

[Jeff]

I agree mostly with Chrish. Ebg... citizenship is or can be for life. Bush, despite his power, is fleeting by law. Another four years will pass very quickly, after all, is not Clinton a distant memory? 48% voted for Kerry... most of the big cities are overwhelmingly blue and embody much of what you're looking for. The USA is a big, big place.

In addition, many voters chose Bush, not because of some of the issues you brought up, but because they feel like he brings more security and will wage a better war on terrorism. Maybe he will or maybe Kerry didn't do such a great job of telling the public how he'd be better. Regardless, how can you pin some sort of rejection of you by the majority of America based on a single day and single vote and such a close margin? It doesn't make sense.

[Chrish]

I've also had friends that died of AIDS but, I don't spend my time blaming Reagan nor Bush nor anyone else for those losses nor that grief. That's a dead end street and accomplishes nothing.

Nor did I say nor do I believe your statement that, "Perhaps I don't embody American founding principles? Enlightenment principles? The true liberalism?", is correct. We, just disagree nothing more nothing less.

Just because a loss was suffered doesn't mean you
pack up your things and go away or go sulk about it does it? Sure there's some things I disagree
with Bush on but, I'm not about to let him slide
on those things anymore than I would if Kerry had
won. If anything all of those politicians starting at the very top need to have their feet
held to the fire. Through all this we've talked
about personal responsibility, accountability. Because Bush or they have won they are now, even
more than ever, accountable to Us to make good on
their promises. That includes you and everyone else. This isn't about "xxxxxxxxx-American", insert your own adjective at the x's. This is
about all of us and I mean all of us. Do you recall the speech made by Obama? He said there
are no "black-Americans", no "Asian-Americans", no
no "Mexican-Americans", nor gay nor heterosexual-Americans, I added that, there are just Americans {period}. Very wise young man.

The politicians on either side work for Us not the other way around.

Yes, We have problems in this country and it's going to Us all to fix them. There will be disagreement, arguments, and debates but, after
the dust clears We all have to roll up our sleeves and do what needs to be done. All of Us.

It isn't just about AIDS it's also about cancer,
MS, Alzheimer's, Leukemia, and the multitude of other diseases killing Our people, our friends, and our families. It's obvious that the drug companies aren't getting anywhere and perhaps that's because they don't want to find a cure;
that would affect their profit. It should also be obvious that neither the Democratic nor the Republican politians are really pushing where
pushing needs to be done or things just might be
different.

Just because the majority both in popular and electoral made their voices heard does not necessarily mean they're correct anymore than if
it had gone the other way. It just means we disagreed, nothing more nothing less. Setting
aside the disagreements for a moment, don't worry
they'll still be there when you get back, where do we have common ground? How about Social Security, Education, Health Care, the Environment, Alternative Sources of Energy, the
Economy? Whether Democrat or Republican they've both pumped out their rhetoric, platitudes, and promises isn't it time We started holding them accountable for those promises? Not just sit back and foolishly believe that all's well and "they'll" take care of it.

Bush, in his acceptance speech, said that his win
was a mandate. I quite disagree with him on that.
He barely squeeked by by the seat of his pants. This wasn't a smashing victory nor a clear mandate. He made promises and he made statements
saying he wanted to do everything possible to gain the trust of those who voted for Kerry. OK,
fine, the first thing that he needs to do is to start listening, in fact, both sides need to start listening to each other. I don't mean hear each other, I mean listen.

We, the People, also need to make quite clear to both sides that We aren't asking them but, We are demanding that they do their jobs and make Social
Security right, make Health Care right, make Education right, make the Environment right, and make the search for Alternative Sources of Energy right!! Enough with the talking it's time for them to do what they have promised Us they are going to do. It's time for them to act!

Just because you have lost this election sure as hell doesn't mean your jobs are done or over with.
It means you've got some reflection and thinking to do and then get back to it. But consider that
possibility that you might not be correct in
all of your positions. God knows I'm still reflecting and thinking about my own.

The choice is all your's. Either way I do wish you and all well.