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Let the healing begin
Nov. 3rd, 2004 02:57 pmLet the healing begin
I just watched John Kerry's concession speech.
It hurts a lot to realize that Kerry lost this election. I'm disappointed, and discouraged. Over the last several years, George W. Bush has demonstrated absolute disdain for anyone who dares disagree with him. He has shown massive incompetence,
I very much hope that President Bush will echo the key theme of Kerry's speech and emphasize the need for healing and going forward together as a nation. I'm not at all sure that he will, but I'll wait and see.
BUT.
The United States is still a great nation, and a good nation.
Turnout was huge. That, in itself, is good.
And, for the first time in four elections, the President-elect won both an absolute majority of Electoral College votes and an absolute majority of the popular vote. (Clinton won popular-vote pluralities in 1992 and 1996; Bush (in)famously lost the popular vote and won the electoral vote in 2000.)
Source data for 1992 and 1996: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/electoral_college/scores.html
Source data for 2000: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/electoral_college/scores2.html
I just watched John Kerry's concession speech.
It hurts a lot to realize that Kerry lost this election. I'm disappointed, and discouraged. Over the last several years, George W. Bush has demonstrated absolute disdain for anyone who dares disagree with him. He has shown massive incompetence,
I very much hope that President Bush will echo the key theme of Kerry's speech and emphasize the need for healing and going forward together as a nation. I'm not at all sure that he will, but I'll wait and see.
BUT.
The United States is still a great nation, and a good nation.
Turnout was huge. That, in itself, is good.
And, for the first time in four elections, the President-elect won both an absolute majority of Electoral College votes and an absolute majority of the popular vote. (Clinton won popular-vote pluralities in 1992 and 1996; Bush (in)famously lost the popular vote and won the electoral vote in 2000.)
| 1992 | Popular Vote | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| Clinton | 44,908,254 | 43.28% |
| Bush | 39,102,343 | 37.69% |
| Perot | 19,741,065 | 19.03% |
| Totals | 103,751,662 | 100.00% |
| 1996 | Popular Vote | Percent |
| Clinton | 45,590,703 | 49.95% |
| Dole | 37,816,307 | 41.43% |
| Perot | 7,866,284 | 8.62% |
| Totals | 91,273,294 | 100.00% |
| 2000 | Popular Vote | Percent |
| Bush | 50,456,002 | 48.36% |
| Gore | 50,999,897 | 48.88% |
| Nader | 2,882,955 | 2.76% |
| Totals | 104,338,854 | 100.00% |
Source data for 1992 and 1996: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/electoral_college/scores.html
Source data for 2000: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/electoral_college/scores2.html