'The American People Have Spoken'

Transcript of  Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain'sremarks when he conceded the presidential race before a crowd of supporters inPhoenix. For video, click here

Thank you. Thank you, my friends. Thank you for coming here on this beautifulArizona evening.

My friends, we have -- we have come to the end of a long journey. The Americanpeople have spoken, and they have spoken clearly.

A little while ago, I had the honor of calling Sen. Barack Obama to congratulatehim. To congratulate him on being elected the next president of the country thatwe both love.

In a contest as long and difficult as this campaign has been, his success alonecommands my respect for his ability and perseverance. But that he managed to doso by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans who had once wronglybelieved that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of anAmerican president is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.

This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it hasfor African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight.

I've always believed that America offers opportunities to all who have theindustry and will to seize it. Sen. Obama believes that, too.

But we both recognize that, though we have come a long way from the oldinjustices that once stained our nation's reputation and denied some Americansthe full blessings of American citizenship, the memory of them still had thepower to wound.

A century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt's invitation of Booker T. Washingtonto dine at the White House was taken as an outrage in many quarters.

America today is a world away from the cruel and frightful bigotry of that time.There is no better evidence of this than the election of an African-American tothe presidency of the United States.

Let there be no reason now for any American to fail to cherish their citizenshipin this, the greatest nation on Earth.

Sen. Obama has achieved a great thing for himself and for his country. I applaudhim for it, and offer him my sincere sympathy that his beloved grandmother didnot live to see this day. Though our faith assures us she is at rest in thepresence of her creator and so very proud of the good man she helped raise.

Sen. Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed. Nodoubt many of those differences remain.

These are difficult times for our country. And I pledge to him tonight to do allin my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.

I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him,but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways tocome together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences andhelp restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leaveour children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.

Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when Isay no association has ever meant more to me than that.

It is natural. It's natural, tonight, to feel some disappointment. But tomorrow,we must move beyond it and work together to get our country moving again.

We fought -- we fought as hard as we could. And though we fell short, thefailure is mine, not yours.

I am so deeply grateful to all of you for the great honor of your support andfor all you have done for me. I wish the outcome had been different, my friends.

The road was a difficult one from the outset, but your support and friendshipnever wavered. I cannot adequately express how deeply indebted I am to you.

I'm especially grateful to my wife, Cindy, my children, my dear mother and allmy family, and to the many old and dear friends who have stood by my sidethrough the many ups and downs of this long campaign.

I have always been a fortunate man, and never more so for the love andencouragement you have given me.

You know, campaigns are often harder on a candidate's family than on thecandidate, and that's been true in this campaign.

All I can offer in compensation is my love and gratitude and the promise of morepeaceful years ahead.

I am also -- I am also, of course, very thankful to Gov. Sarah Palin, one of thebest campaigners I've ever seen, and an impressive new voice in our party forreform and the principles that have always been our greatest strength, herhusband Todd and their five beautiful children for their tireless dedication toour cause, and the courage and grace they showed in the rough and tumble of apresidential campaign.

We can all look forward with great interest to her future service to Alaska, theRepublican Party and our country.

To all my campaign comrades, from Rick Davis and Steve Schmidt and Mark Salter,to every last volunteer who fought so hard and valiantly, month after month, inwhat at times seemed to be the most challenged campaign in modern times, thankyou so much. A lost election will never mean more to me than the privilege ofyour faith and friendship.

I don't know -- I don't know what more we could have done to try to win thiselection. I'll leave that to others to determine. Every candidate makesmistakes, and I'm sure I made my share of them. But I won't spend a moment ofthe future regretting what might have been.

This campaign was and will remain the great honor of my life, and my heart isfilled with nothing but gratitude for the experience and to the American peoplefor giving me a fair hearing before deciding that Sen. Obama and my old friendSen. Joe Biden should have the honor of leading us for the next four years.

I would not -- I would not be an American worthy of the name should I regret afate that has allowed me the extraordinary privilege of serving this country fora half a century.

Today, I was a candidate for the highest office in the country I love so much.And tonight, I remain her servant. That is blessing enough for anyone, and Ithank the people of Arizona for it.

Tonight -- tonight, more than any night, I hold in my heart nothing but love forthis country and for all its citizens, whether they supported me or Sen. Obama-- whether they supported me or Sen. Obama.

I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president.And I call on all Americans, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair ofour present difficulties, but to believe, always, in the promise and greatnessof America, because nothing is inevitable here.

Americans never quit. We never surrender.

We never hide from history. We make history.

Thank you, and God bless you, and God bless America. Thank you all very much.