In an eloquent speech, John McCain concedes loss

(UPDATE: In a conversation late Tuesday night McCain's top aide, Mark Salter, who's collaborated on McCain's books, told The Times' Maeve Reston that the Arizona senator instructed him to craft a concession speech that captured the historic sweep of his Democratic opponent's victory, McCain's promise to work with him and another sympathetic mention of the passing of Obama's grandmother.

(Salter began the writing at 6 p.m. By 8, he had a draft of the 10-minute remarks completed for the senator's review. And the world heard those words soon after.)

John McCain has admitted defeat in the race for the White House. Complete text of Sen. McCain's concession speech available here.

Speaking before a crowd of supporters at an Arizona hotel several minutes ago, he said that he had called his rival, Democrat Barack Obama, to concede.

"My friends, we have -- we have come to the end of a long journey," he told the crowd. "The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly. A little while ago, I had the honor of calling Sen. Barack Obama to congratulate him."

The news was met with boos, but McCain hushed them. In the eloquent speech that followed, McCain acknowledged the special historic significance of Obama's victory and urged Americans to put aside their differences.

"These are difficult times for our country and I pledged to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us in the many challenges we face," McCain said. "I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will."

When he was interrupted by jeers, he tried to calm the crowd again. "Please," he pleaded softly.

"Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans, and believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that. It is natural to feel some disappointment, but tomorrow we must move beyond it and ... get our country moving again."

McCain said he blamed himself for the loss. "We fought as hard as we could," he said. "Though we fell short, the failure is mine, not yours," he said.

McCain thanked his family and friends and campaign aides and then thanked Sarah Palin, who stood nearby with tears in her eyes. He called Palin "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." That line received the loudest applause of the night.

Before leaving the stage McCain said, "This campaign was and will remain the great honor of my life."

Obama is giving his acceptance speech in Chicago now.

-- Kate Linthicum

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Comments

[Pat Havlir]

McCain will always remain what he is, an officer and a gentleman. He is my hero.

And that the Los Angeles Times for the 1st time said something nice about him made my night...

[Dean Miller]

Idahoeditor here. I wish AP would move the text. It was a remarkable speech we hope to run on Opinion page.

[Scott Denson]

Good luck to Mr. McCain. He is a good man, an honorable man and I bet when this all settles down you will find he didnt like the way his "party" ran the election. I know he didnt like some of the things Palin spouted or some of the extreme comments, its not him. Just wish he had picked a different VP, things might have turned out different.

Any man, or woman, willing to give their lives so that I can vote the way I wish, believe in what ever gods I wish, and protect my Constitutional rights as a US citizen deserves all the respect we can give them.

To Mr. Obama - give em Hell. You worked your butt off to get where you are, you have proven that a black man can be president of the US. Giving millions of children, poor, black, white, yellow, green or other a light showing that they too can be what ever they wish in this great country of ours. Its a core belief that we all have forgotten for way too long and been told way too often "we cant".

To Georg Jr - good bye. I don’t think history will be too kind to you, you’re definitely no Ronald Reagan.

To all those who are still racist, bigoted, or not ready to invest in the US OF A future, I feel sorry for you. You might want to head north for a while, say 8 years at least.

Its time we start taking care of this country and its citizens, not everyone else in the world. I believe that the change is coming to make just such a world possible.

Yes we can.

[Craig]

McCain's concession speech was gracious and thoughtful. Pity about the crowd. Pity too that he elected not to adopt the unity theme during the race. I guess that's what happens when you sell your soul to the nasty wing of the GOP. This is Obama's night. This is a night for unity. But why is it that a part of me really really hopes that Palin hangs in there to contest in 2012 - the sure fire way to achieve two terms.

[Wendy]

Senator McCain is a credit to the United States. We're proud of him and his loosing is our nation's great loss. Not his fault, but the fault of a people who failed to recognize greatness in their mist.

[Sandra]

McCain's speech was honorable, the reaction of his supporters was not.

[Hawthorn]

If he had had the wisdom to campaign as the man who gave that concession speech, he might have been delivering his victory speech instead.

[meseret]

we history has spoken obama wins ... mccain took it well ..

[Jim In Atlanta]

I have been a Republican since 18. I am 54. The republicans have no one to blame but themselves for failing so miserably in their mission. Get the passion back, and get rid of the good old boy crap! Take off the boxing gloves next time and come out swinging. Your frat brothers that put you in office and want you in office are a bunch of pussies! They ran from the fight, and hid behind thier mothers dresses. McCain suffers from the "Stockholm Syndrome!" The Republican Party does not need this. We need paaionate leaders that have the convictions and will stick to their guns! Bettter luck some other time!

Best wishes to the new president - he earned it! God bless America!

[Dixon Cannon]

"From each according to ability, to each according to need." Welcome to the U.S.S.A, Americans!...Atlas has surely shrugged.

-Comrade Dixon Cannon

[Me]

Scott Denson :As a Canadian I celebrate Obama's win and congradulate the U.S.A. for making a great joice for your country and the world. You can keep your racists and please don't encourage them to come up here.

[Mr Hill]

I wish this Mccain had been the candidate Obama was running against since the summer. He was gracious, understanding, and intelligent. I think all Americans could have benefited from that race.

Its a shame the Mccain campaign was turned over to the sort of men that thought scaring the American people would work this time. I would have loved to have a real contest this time around.

[Corey]

And unfortunately, we get 4 more years without an eloquent speech by a President.

Here's hoping someone decides to do the honorable thing and start educating the American voting public so we can force quality candidates to run, instead of giving us 6 mediocre choices the past 3 elections. Maybe then we can have real campaign promises and issues instead of lies and deceitful politics.

[midwestmidwife]

McCain was gracious. He had to be exhausted; perhaps that was why it seemed so lackluster, that and the disappointment. It is too bad his crowd was not of the same mind. Sen. McCain is a compassionate man, just made some ill-advised choices on the road to the WH.

[MK (Casey) van Bronkhorst]

Senator McCain demonstrated the grace of years of experience, military discipline and public service. The hallmark of a true winner is the ability to be gracious in the face of defeat.

[Allyn Hall]

Please folks, stop the bitter and nasty, the LA Times and pretty much all Americans have said many nice things about Senator McCain -- it's time to stop the one sided "the other guy is evil" crap and once again become the UNITED States of America -- the time has come to move on from Bush/Cheney to a culture of unity and hope -- please join in so we all can win -- this is one of the best days in the history of civilization -- help make the next 4 years as great as tonight

Thanks

Allyn

[Jahaira]

Thank you. I have faith in you Obama. History is in the making. You have just given little children of all races the faith that they an do anything. You have a long road ahead, just keep your head up. The world is watching and waiting. You have made a big difference. As I walk my gang and drug filled neigborhood, not one drug dealer or gang was out. They had something more important to do. They were home watching history in the making. Watching you become president. Please stand up tall and proud. Congrats.

[Buck]

Mr. McCain was gracious and the reactions of his audience were a great dishonor to him and his well considered words. While Senator McCain was not my choice for President, I never considered him a bad person. I found myself feeling terribly sorry for him as his "supporters" behaved like petulant children or outright racists (listen closely to some of the background jeers). He was making one of the most elegant and important speeches of his life only to be drowned out by this mob who had mistaken prejudice and fear for patriotism and honor. It was a shining moment for Mr. McCain and a black eye for the Republican party and nation as it was contrasted with the gracious cheering of Mr. McCain's name at President Elect Obama's speech.

[garyb]

While McCain's speech was indeed gracious, and he must be given credit tonight for that, there are millions who will NEVER forget the lies, distortions and unseemly negativism that pervaded the last 6 months of this campaign.

He will not sleep well tonight. I hope he and his supporters think hard and think deep about why their campaign failed. Running on honest policy ideas and differences is one thing, lies about your opponent are another.

[Andrew Morris]

Shame to anyone who voted against McCain, a man whom has lost more than most have ever gained i their lives morally. You jeer B.O.. , but have yet to smell him for what he is! Zeek Hiaiel! and good luck.

[PW]

As a Democrat who watched in dismay as McCain's campaign took on a petty and bitter tone, I am glad to see what I consider to be the real McCain return tonight. I am a big Obama supported but was moved very much by McCain's gracious and thoughtful words, which he delivered with so little effort and with great sincerity. It was great to see Obama win tonight but also great to see McCain embrace the idea of unity which so sorely was absent from much of his campaign. I hope that at least some of his supporters realize that we need unity now more than ever. That is the only way.

[Shenali Waduge]

I think McCain is a great leader & it is unfortunate that his loss was in hindsight probably due to his choice of VP Candidate in the form of Sarah Palin. Sure she added glamour & vigor but she did not complement all that John McCahin actually stood for.
It was an historical election for many reasons & one none of us should forget.

[John]

wow. You actually said something nice about Mccain. I guess you can afford to now that you have ran him in the ground over the last year. Maybe you should run another negative article just in case.

[bluvg]

About McCain supporters and their responses--they were the same as Kerry's supporters after his loss. They are disappointed, and it's an understandable reaction, not dishonorable. Agreed, though, McCain's speech was the epitome of a gracious defeat.

It was a night all Americans could feel proud of their country regardless of their political persuasion, I think. It was a great election--so much better than '00 and '04--where the choice felt not between bad and worse, but between great and great.

[Maodhog]

Sen. McCain has shown what some of us have always known of his character, his personality and his love of country. They will make fun of his use of the term maverick for years to come, but within his party, he is a maverick. He will always be remembered for his willingness to find a middle ground in order to accomplish things that benefited the American people as a whole and not just his party's beliefs. We the people are the losers this night, but we can be winners, if we but follow the lead of this man and stick out our hand to find a middle ground that we can all accept. His fight in this race is complete, ours is just beginning.