JOHN McCain conceded defeat today in a gracious speech urging his supporters to throw their weight behind the new president.
John McCain, with wife Cindy by his side, conceded defeat to Barack Obama tonight. Picture: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images
With running-mate Sarah Palin at his side, the 72-year-old Republican leader said Barack Obama had prevailed in what had been a "long and difficult" contest.
Addressing a subdued crowd in his home state of Arizona, Mr McCain said it was natural to feel disappointed, but called on all Americans to come together to bridge their differences.
Pledging to do everything in his power to help the new president in any challenge, Mr McCain said: "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, to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited. Whatever our differences we are fellow Americans."
The former Vietnam prisoner of war said Mr Obama's victory was historic and had a particular significance for African Americans.
He said Mr Obama had inspired hope in millions of Americans who had once believed they had little influence in the election of an American president.
This is "something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving," he said.
But he insisted America today was "a world away from the cruel and spiteful bigotry" of a century ago.
"There is no better evidence of this than the election of an African-American to the presidency of the United states," he said.
Offering his condolences to Mr Obama for the death on Sunday of his grandmother, Mr McCain said he regretted that she had not lived to see her grandson achieve such "a great thing for himself and his country".
Mr McCain placed the blame for defeat squarely on his own shoulders, prompting chants of "No!" and "We want John" from the crowd.
"We fell short. The failure is mine not yours," he said.
After expressing gratitude to his family and supporters, Mr McCain thanked Mrs Palin, calling the Alaskan governor "one of the best campaigners I have ever seen".
He said Mrs Palin, who appeared to be blinking back tears, was also an "impressive new voice" in the Republican party.
"We can all look forward with great interest to her future service to Alaska, the Republican party and our country."
He continued: "I don't know what more we could have done to try to win this election. I'll leave that to others to determine. Every candidate makes mistakes – I'm sure I've made my share of them – but I won't spend a moment of the future regretting what might have been. This campaign was and will remain the great honour of my life."
Amid a chorus of boos from the crowd, Mr McCain said he was grateful to Americans for giving him "a fair hearing in the course of deciding that Senator Obama and my old friend Senator Joe Biden should have the honour of leading us for the next four years."
He added: "Today I was candidate for the highest office of the country I love so much and tonight I remain her servant. That is blessing enough for anyone."
