- Election Day |
Hillary Clinton
«
Hillary
Clinton
Concession Speech
November 9, 2016
Just after 2 a.m. Eastern Time,
Hillary for America campaign chairman John Podesta appeared on stage at
the Javits Center in New York City and made a short statement.
John Podesta Statement
Well folks, I know you've been here a long time. And it's been a
long night. And it's been a long campaign. But I can say we can wait a
little longer can't we?
We're still counting votes. And every vote should count. Several
states are too close to call. So we're not going to have anything more
to say tonight.
So listen, listen to me. Everybody should head home. You should get
some sleep. We'll have more to say tomorrow.
I want you to know. I want every person in this hall to know and I
want every person across the country who supported Hillary to know,
that your voices and your enthusiasm mean so much to her and to Tim and
to all of us.
We are so proud of you.
And we are so proud of her. She's done an amazing job. And she is
not done yet.
So thank you for being with her. She has always been with you. I
have to
say this tonight. Good night. We will be back. We will have more to
say. Let's get those votes counted and let's bring this home. Thank you
so much for all that you've done.
You are in all of our hearts. Thank you.
Crowd: HILLARY! HILLARY! HILLARY!
Music: Katy Perry's "Fight Song"
Clinton's concession speech did not come until more than eight hours later.
Hillary Clinton
Concession Speech
New Yorker Hotel, Grand Ballroom
New York, NY
November 9, 2016
...Thank you so very much for being here. And I love you all
too.
Last night, I congratulated Donald Trump and offered
to work with him on behalf of our country. I hope that he will be a
successful president for all Americans.
This is not the outcome
we wanted or we worked so hard for, and I’m sorry we did not win this
election for the values we share and the vision we hold for our country.
But
I feel pride and gratitude for this wonderful campaign that we built
together –- this vast, diverse, creative, unruly, energized campaign.
You represent the best of America, and being your candidate has been
one of the greatest honors of my life.
I know how disappointed
you feel, because I feel it too. And so do tens of millions of
Americans who invested their hopes and dreams in this effort. This is
painful, and it will be for a long time. But I want you to remember
this: Our campaign was never about one person or even one election. It
was about the country we love -- and about building an America that’s
hopeful, inclusive, and big-hearted.
We have seen that our
nation is more deeply divided than we thought. But I still believe in
America –- and I always will. And if you do,, then we must accept
this result -– and then look to the future.
Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and
the chance to lead.
Our
constitutional democracy enshrines the peaceful transfer of power, and
we don’t just respect that, we cherish it. It also enshrines other
things –- the rule of law, the principle that we are all equal in
rights
and dignity, freedom of worship and expression. We respect and
cherish these things too -- and we must defend them.
And let me
add: Our constitutional democracy demands our participation, not just
every four years, but all the time. So let’s do all we can to keep
advancing the causes and values we all hold dear: making our economy
work for everyone, not just those at the top; protecting our country
and protecting our planet; and breaking down all the barriers that hold
any American back from achieving their dreams.
We’ve
spent a year and a half bringing together millions of people from every
corner of our country to say with one voice that we believe that the
American Dream is big enough for everyone -- for people of all races
and religions, for men and women, for immigrants, for LGBT people, and
people with disabilities -- for everyone.
So now our
responsibility as citizens is to keep doing our part to build that
better, stronger, fairer America we seek. And I know you will.
I am so grateful to stand with all of you.
I
want to thank Tim Kaine and Anne Holton for being our partners on this
journey. It has been a joy getting to know them better and it gives me
great hope and comfort to know that Tim will
remain on the front-lines of our democracy, representing Virginia in
the Senate.
To
Barack and Michelle Obama: Our country owes you an enormous debt of
gratitude. We thank you for your graceful, determined leadership that
has meant so much to so many Americans and people across the world.
And to
Bill and Chelsea, Marc, Charlotte, Aidan, our brothers, and our entire
family, my love for you means more than I can ever express.
You
crisscrossed this country on our behalf and lifted me up when I needed
it most –- even four-month old Aidan who traveled with his mom.
I
will always be grateful to the creative, talented, dedicated men and
women at our headquarters in Brooklyn and across our country. You
poured your hearts into this campaign. For some of you who are
veterans, it was a campaign after you had done other campaigns -- for
some of you, it was your first campaign.
I want each of you to know that you were the best campaign anybody
could have ever expected or wanted.
And to the millions of volunteers, community leaders, activists, and
union organizers who knocked on doors, talked to neighbors, posted on
Facebook - even in secret, private Facebook sites, I want everybody
coming out from behind that and make sure your voices are heard going
forward.
To everyone who sent in contributions as small as $5 and kept us going,
thank you, thank you from all of us.
And
to all the young people in particular, I hope you will hear this. I
have, as Tim said,
spent my entire adult life fighting for what I believe in. I’ve had
successes and I’ve had setbacks -– sometimes really painful ones. Many
of you are at the beginning of your professional, public and political
careers. You will have successes
and setbacks, too.
This
loss hurts. But please never stop believing that fighting for
what’s right is worth it. It is. It is worth it. And so we need you to
keep up
these fights now and for the rest of your lives.
And to
all the women, and especially the young women, who put their faith in
this campaign and in me, I want you to know that nothing has made me
prouder than to be your champion.
I
know, I know we have still not shattered that highest and hardest glass
ceiling. But
some day someone will, and hopefully sooner than we might think right
now.
And
to all the little girls who are watching this, never doubt that you are
valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in
the world to pursue your own dreams.
Finally, finally I am grateful to our country and or all it has given
me.
I
count my blessings every single day that I am an American. And I still
believe, as deeply as I ever have, that if we stand together and work
together, with respect for our differences, strength in our
convictions, and love for this nation -– our best days are still ahead
of us.
Because you know I
believe we are stronger together and we will go forward together. And
you
should never, ever regret fighting for that.
You know Scripture tells us: “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for
in due
season, we shall reap, if we do not lose heart.”
So my
friends, let us have faith in each other. Let us not grow weary. Let us
not lose heart. For there are more seasons to come and there is more
work to do.
I am
incredibly honored and grateful to have had this chance to represent
all of you in this consequential election. May God bless you and God
bless the United States of America.