Presidential concessions have memorable precedents
dent of the United States. And I promised him that I wouldn’t call him back this time,” Gore said.
Most concession speeches are about mending the country.
After his loss in 2008, Republican Sen. John McCain said: “The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly. A little while ago, I had the honorof calling Sen. Barack Obama to congratulate him on being elected the next president of the country thatwe both love.
“I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our goodwill and earnest effort to find ways to come together.”
When Jimmy Carter lost in 1980, he said matter-offactly, “The people of the United States have made a choice and, of course, I accept that decision.”
Bob Dole had to concede in more than one race, but he did so both times with his trademark humor.
After Gerald Ford and Dole lost the 1976 presidential election to Carter and Walter Mondale, Dole, quipped: “Contrary to reports that I took the loss badly, I want to say that I went home last night and slept like a baby — every two hours I woke up and
cried.”
Dole fell back on humor again in 1996 during his concession speech following his loss to Bill Clinton. WhenDole talkedofhaving just congratulated Clinton, he had to discourage boos fromthe crowd.
He later hushed a particularly raucous supporter by smiling and joking, “You’re not gonna get that tax cut if you don’t be quiet.”
Trump isn’t the only candidate to be disgruntled after a loss.
President John Adams was glum, too. He was elected the nation’s second president in 1796, but failed to win reelection.
“Adams was very bitter after losing the election of 1800,” said John Vile, a political science professor at Middle Tennessee State University who wrote a book about presidents and their words of victory and concession.“He slipped out of Washington, D.C., the morning of or the night before the election. He did not stay for the inauguration.”
Vile said in all fairness, there was no clear precedent at the time about what Adamswas supposed to do. “But it was interpreted at the time that, at least, he was really unhappy,“he said.