'We are required now to work together'

Standing amid wildly cheering supporters in Washington's cavernous Ronald Reagan Building, a newly re-elected President George W. Bush claimed an electoral mandate, briefly outlined his plans for the next four years, and asked for support from Americans who supported Senator John Kerry in the 2004 election.

"To make this nation stronger and better I will need your support, and I will work to earn it. I will do all I can do to deserve your trust. A new term is a new opportunity to reach out to the whole nation. We have one country, one Constitution, and one future that binds us," the president said.

In his call for national unity, the president echoed comments made earlier in the day by Sen. Kerry, who delivered his concession speech before tearful supporters in Boston's historic Fanueil Hall. "We are required now to work together for the good of our country ....without recrimination and anger," Kerry said.

Analysts noted that these mutual calls for reconciliation would be severely tested when the president submits his new budget or nominates a new Supreme Court Justice.

Of that call, which lasted about five minutes, Kerry told a packed Fanueil Hall in Boston, "I spoke to President Bush and I offered him and Laura our congratulations on their victory. We had a good conversation, and we talked about the danger of division in our country and the need - the desperate need for unity, for finding the common ground, coming together. Today I hope that we can begin the healing."

In his speech to supporters, Mr. Bush began by describing the same phone call. "We had a really good phone call. He was very gracious," the president said of Kerry.

Despite the gracious tone of the comments on both sides, the Bush-Cheney team made it clear that they considered their advantage in the popular vote, as well as gains in their majorities in both the Senate and House of Representatives, to be a mandate from the American people.

As of Wednesday afternoon, data from the Associated Press showed Bush capturing 29 states with 274 electoral votes. Kerry won 19 states and the District of Columbia and 252 votes. Bush held a lead of 3.5 million votes nationwide with 99 percent of precincts reporting.

In introducing the president, Vice President Dick Cheney said that in response to Bush's campaign, "the nation responded by giving him a mandate." Cheney added that, "if ever a man met his moment as leader of this country, that man is George W. Bush."

The mandate theme was echoed in comments by House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas). "With a bigger majority, we can do even more exciting things," the Reuters news agency quoted Mr. DeLay as saying.

The president sketched his goals for his second term in shorthand. "Because we have done the hard work, we are entering a season of hope. We'll continue our economic progress. We'll reform our outdated tax code. We'll strengthen the Social Security for the next generation. We'll make public schools all they can be. And we will uphold our deepest values of family and faith."

The president then turned his attention to international issues. "We will help the emerging democracies of Iraq and Afghanistan so they can grow in strength and defend their freedom. And then our servicemen and women will come home with the honor they have earned."

Bush then appealed for support from those who voted for Kerry. "Reaching these goals will require the broad support of Americans... And when we come together and work together, there is no limit to the greatness of America," he said.

Kerry left the race after determining there was no way for him to win Ohio's crucial 20 electoral votes. "I would not give up this fight if there was a chance we would prevail. It is now clear that even if we tally all the provisional ballots...there won't be enough outstanding votes for us to win Ohio."

The president had opened a 136,000-vote lead in the key battleground state of Ohio.

Both candidates won states they were expected to capture. With only New Mexico and Iowa final results still to come, swaths of Republican red and patches of Democratic blue on the US electoral map painted a picture nearly identical to 2000 election results. Neither man had been able to win a state taken by the other party four years ago - except New Hampshire, which Kerry claimed.

Page: 1 | 2