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2008-11-05 08:48:00
By BETH FOUHY, Associated Press Writer Beth Fouhy, Associated Press Writer Wed
Nov 5, 3:27 am ET
PHOENIX With a gracious nod to Barack Obama, John McCain acknowledged defeat
and urged his supporters to move beyond partisan differences to put country
first an echo of his campaign theme.
"I wish godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my
president," McCain said as he conceded the presidency he has sought for a
decade.
The four-term Arizona senator added: "These are difficult times for our
country. And I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us
through the many challenges we face."
Flanked by his wife Cindy and his running mate Sarah Palin, McCain stepped
before supporters at the Biltmore Hotel on a balmy Tuesday evening shortly
after telephoning Obama to offer his congratulations and concede the race. He
implored his backers to fall in line behind Obama and put aside partisan
bickering. And, he pushed back on a smattering of boos and shouts of "No-Bama!
and "Reverend Wright," a reference to Obama's incendiary former pastor.
"Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans," McCain said. "No
association has ever meant more to me than that."
After an intensely negative campaign, McCain went to lengths to take the high
road in his concession speech and acknowledged the historic nature of Obama's
barrier-breaking accomplishment.
"His success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance,"
McCain said, adding that he "deeply admired" Obama for inspiring the hopes of
people "who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little
influence" in electing a president.
"This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has
for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight,"
McCain said, adding that the U.S. had moved "a world away" from its racist past
by electing the nation's first black president.
He allowed that disappointment was natural but said that starting Wednesday "we
must move beyond it and work together to get our country moving again."
"We fought as hard as we could. And though we feel short, the failure is mine,
not yours," McCain said.
Also, he praised Palin as "one of the best campaigners I have ever seen, and an
impressive new voice in our party for reform."
By McCain's own admission, it was a disappointing end to a quest he began
sketching 10 years ago before his first run for president in 2000. He was
vanquished that time by George W. Bush in the Republican primaries, but won the
affection and respect of many voters who admired his independent streak and
dedication to honor and service as a former Naval officer and prisoner of war
in Vietnam.
McCain entered this campaign as the perceived GOP front-runner but saw his
effort nearly implode in July 2007 amid staff tension and vast overspending. He
was able to rebuild his candidacy by grinding out key wins in the New
Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida primaries.
He faced long odds from the start of the general election, running as the GOP
successor to President Bush who had become deeply unpopular amid a troubled
economy and two wars. But then McCain put the little-known Alaska governor on
the GOP ticket and polling shortly after the Republican convention found McCain
pulling slightly ahead of Obama.
Then the global financial crisis hit, and McCain's hopes were dashed. Voters
usually punish the party in power when the economy tanks, and this year was no
different.
In the campaign's final days, the GOP nominee maintained a grueling campaign
schedule while being well aware of the odds against him. He stumped across
Colorado and New Mexico after a 24-hour cross country journey across
battleground states that ended after midnight Tuesday.
But McCain also acknowledged he'd made mistakes in his campaign and that he had
let his supporters down.
"I don't know what more we could have done to try to win this election. I'll
leave that to others to determine," he said.