President Bush celebrated yesterday afternoon after being declared the winner of the 2004 presidential election.
The president delivered his victory speech at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C. in the company of supporters, shortly after Sen. John Kerry conceded the race.
"America has spoken, and I'm humbled by the trust and the confidence of my fellow citizens," Bush said. "With that trust comes a duty to serve all Americans, and I will do my best to fulfill that duty every day as your president."
Bush had received 274 electoral votes, more than the 270 needed to win as of yesterday. The president obtained 51 percent of the popular vote, while Kerry earned 48 percent.
Bush won Virginia with 54 percent of the popular vote.
University student political groups expressed their expectations for the next four years.
"I hope the president will not move more to the right, but will instead incorporate many of the successes of the Kerry campaign into his administration," University Democrats Vice President Sam Silverberg said.
Amber VerValin, College Republicans vice chair for campaigns, expressed optimism.
"I'm sure the president will nominate justices who will interpret the Constitution in a fair way and that he'll finish the job in Iraq and continue the war on terror," VerValin said.
Kerry delivered his concession speech to supporters in Boston yesterday afternoon.
"My friends, it was here that we began our campaign for the presidency and all we had was hope and vision for a better America," Kerry said. "It was a privilege and a gift to spend two years traveling this country, coming to know so many of you."
A study released yesterday by the Associated Press found that 114.9 million people voted on in the election Tuesday with 99 percent of precincts reporting.
But an estimate by the nonpartisan Committee for the Study of the American Electorate predicts that the total will be closer to 120 million after all uncounted absentee and provisional ballots are considered, making it the highest election turnout since 1968.
About 110.8 million people voted in the extremely tight 2000 presidential election, according to a U.S. Census Bureau study issued in February 2002.
Bush and Kerry echoed aims to work across partisan lines to move the country in the right direction.
"To make this nation stronger and better, I will need your support and I will work to earn it," Bush said in a direct outreach to Kerry supporters. "I will do all I can do to deserve your trust."
Kerry recalled his conversation with the president yesterday morning in which he stated the need for Americans to work together.
"We had a good conversation, and we talked about the danger of division in our country and the need -- the desperate need for unity, for finding the common ground, coming together," Kerry said. "Today I hope that we can begin the healing.
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