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Sen. John McCain gave one of the most impassioned, hopeful and respectable concession speeches our nation has ever heard. Despite coming out on the losing end of what was sometimes a heated, bitter race, McCain had only good things to say. He praised President-elect Barack Obama and the progress the U.S. has made in electing a black president, and he asked the country to get behind its future leader.
“In a contest as long and difficult as this campaign has been, [Obama's] success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance. But that he managed to do so by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans . is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving,” McCain said.
McCain also sent out sympathies to the Obama family following the death of Obama’s grandmother.
The crowd of McCain supporters was less respectful. On almost any mention of Obama’s name, a few – or many, depending on the statement – in the crowd broke into jeers, hisses and boos.
McCain tried to calm and quiet his frustrated supporters, repeatedly raising his arms to quiet the crowd while saying, “Please, please, my friends.”
We should be disappointed by the reactions of those at the McCain rally who treated our next president disrespectfully, but McCain handled his speech and his supporters like a leader. He showed why he has been such a respectable and able political leader as an Arizona senator. This level of respect from a political leader is refreshing.
Bangor Daily News