WSJ: Kerry Concedes to Bush

Finish Line
Kerry Concedes to Bush

Republicans Maintain
Control of Congress;
Crucial Role for Ohio

A WALL STREET JOURNAL ONLINE NEWS ROUNDUP
November 3, 2004 11:40 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- President Bush won a second term from a divided and anxious nation, his promise of steady, strong wartime leadership trumping John Kerry's fresh-start approach to Iraq and joblessness. After a long, tense night of vote counting, the Democrat called Mr. Bush Wednesday to concede Ohio and the presidency, the Associated Press learned.

Mr. Kerry ended his quest, concluding one of the most expensive and bitterly contested races on record, with a call to the president shortly after 11 a.m. Eastern time, according to two officials familiar with the conversation. Mr. Kerry is expected to deliver a 1 p.m. address in Boston to publicly concede the election.

The victory gave Mr. Bush four more years to pursue the war on terror and a conservative, tax-cutting agenda -- and probably the opportunity to name one or more justices to an aging Supreme Court. He also will preside over expanded Republican majorities in Congress.

Mr. Kerry congratulated Mr. Bush in a conversation described by sources as lasting less than five minutes. One of the sources was Republican, the other a Democrat.