Sen. John McCain's Concession Speech
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/11/04/raw-data-text-john-mccains-concession-speech/JOHN MCCAIN: Thank you. Thank you, my friends. Thank you for coming here on this beautiful Arizona evening.
(APPLAUSE)
Myfriends, we have -- we have come to the end of a long journey. TheAmerican people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly.
A little while ago, I had the honor of calling Senator Barack Obama to congratulate him.
(BOOING)
Please.
To congratulate him on being elected the next president of the country that we both love.
In a contest as long and difficult as this campaign has been, his success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance. But that he managed to do so by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.
Thisis an historic election, and I recognize the special significance ithas for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirstonight.
I've always believed that America offers opportunities to all who have the industry and will to seize it. Senator Obama believes that, too.
But we both recognize that, though we have come a long way from the old injustices that once stained our nation's reputation and denied some Americans the full blessings of American citizenship, the memory of them still had the power to wound.
A century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt's invitation of Booker T. Washington to dine at the White House was taken as an outrage in many quarters.
America today is a world away from the cruel and frightful bigotry of that time. There is no better evidence of this than the election of an African-American to the presidency of the United States.
Let there be no reason now...
(APPLAUSE)
Let there be no reason now for any American to fail to cherish their citizenship in this, the greatest nation on Earth.
(APPLAUSE)
SenatorObama has achieved a great thing for himself and for his country. Iapplaud him for it, and offer him my sincere sympathy that his belovedgrandmother did not live to see this day. Though our faith assures usshe is at rest in the presence of her creator and so very proud of thegood man she helped raise.
Senator Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed. No doubt many of those differences remain.
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.
I urge all Americans...
(APPLAUSE)
Iurge all Americans who supported me to join me in not justcongratulating him, but offering our next president our good will andearnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessarycompromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity,defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children andgrandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.
Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that.
(APPLAUSE)
It is natural. It's natural, tonight, to feel some disappointment. But tomorrow, we must move beyond it and work together to get our country moving again.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: (OFF-MIKE)
We fought -- we fought as hard as we could. And though we feel short, the failure is mine, not yours.
AUDIENCE: No!
MCCAIN: I am so...
AUDIENCE: (CHANTING)
MCCAIN: I am so deeply grateful to all of you for the great honor of your support and for all you have done for me. I wish the outcome had been different, my friends.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: We do, too (OFF-MIKE)
MCCAIN:The road was a difficult one from the outset, but your support andfriendship never wavered. I cannot adequately express how deeplyindebted I am to you.
I'm especially grateful to my wife, Cindy, my children, my dear mother...
(APPLAUSE)
... my dear mother and all my family, and to the many old and dear friends who have stood by my side through the many ups and downs of this long campaign.
I have always been a fortunate man, and never more so for the love and encouragement you have given me.
You know, campaigns are often harder on a candidate's family than on the candidate, and that's been true in this campaign.
All I can offer in compensation is my love and gratitude and the promise of more peaceful years ahead.
I am also -- I am also, of course, very thankful to Governor Sarah Palin, one of the best campaigners I've ever seen...
(APPLAUSE)
... one of the best campaigners I have ever seen, and an impressive new voice in our party for reform and the principles that have always been our greatest strength...
(APPLAUSE)
... her husband Todd and their five beautiful children...
(APPLAUSE)
...for their tireless dedication to our cause, and the courage and gracethey showed in the rough and tumble of a presidential campaign.
We can all look forward with great interest to her future service to Alaska, the Republican Party and our country.
(APPLAUSE)
Toall my campaign comrades, from Rick Davis and Steve Schmidt and MarkSalter, to every last volunteer who fought so hard and valiantly, monthafter month, in what at times seemed to be the most challenged campaignin modern times, thank you so much. A lost election will never meanmore to me than the privilege of your faith and friendship.
Idon't know -- I don't know what more we could have done to try to winthis election. I'll leave that to others to determine. Every candidatemakes mistakes, and I'm sure I made my share of them. But I won't spenda moment of the future regretting what might have been.
This campaign was and will remainthe great honor of my life, and my heart is filled with nothing butgratitude for the experience and to the American people for giving me afair hearing before deciding that Senator Obama and my old friendSenator Joe Biden should have the honor of leading us for the next fouryears.
(BOOING)
Please. Please.
I would not -- I would not be an American worthy of the name should I regret a fate that has allowed me the extraordinary privilege of serving this country for a half a century.
Today,I was a candidate for the highest office in the country I love so much.And tonight, I remain her servant. That is blessing enough for anyone,and I thank the people of Arizona for it.
(APPLAUSE)
AUDIENCE: USA. USA. USA. USA.
Tonight-- tonight, more than any night, I hold in my heart nothing but lovefor this country and for all its citizens, whether they supported me orSenator Obama -- whether they supported me or Senator Obama.
Iwish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be mypresident. And I call on all Americans, as I have often in thiscampaign, to not despair of our present difficulties, but to believe,always, in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing isinevitable here.
Americans never quit. We never surrender.
(APPLAUSE)
We never hide from history. We make history.
Thank you, and God bless you, and God bless America. Thank you all very much.本回答被提问者采纳