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Class ActMcCain's respectful concession speech.

By Christopher BeamPosted Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2008, at 1:02 AM ET

John McCain. Click image to expand. John McCainPHOENIX—A concession speech is a delicate undertaking. There are certain words you have to say: Congratulate. Admire. Cooperation. Gratitude. The challenge is to make people believe you.

By that standard, John McCain succeeded. In fact, he said all the things he didn't have to. He congratulated Barack Obama not just for running a good campaign but for mobilizing millions of people who "once thought they had little influence in American elections." He acknowledged that his loss was America's win, at least in terms of historical progress: "I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and the special pride it offers them." (Weirdly, though, he didn't expand the sentiment to apply to all Americans.) He dwelled on the heartbreaking death of Obama's grandmother the day before the election—a personal note that a less sensitive candidate would have forgone: "She is with our creator and proud of the good man she helped raise."

McCain was humble, not defiant, about his loss—almost overly so. "We fought, and although we fell short, the failure was mine, not yours," he said. That said, he acknowledged that he faced "a difficult road"—circumstances that perhaps any Republican would have had trouble overcoming.

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At the same time, McCain refused to revisit the past. "I don't know what more we could have done to win this election," he said. "I'll leave that to others to determine." (Offer accepted.) Still, there was a hint of repentance about negative campaigning—even if McCain's campaign was hardly the sleaziest ever. "We are all Americans," he said, "and no association has ever meant more to me than that." Bill Ayers, you can come out of your hole now.

The audience wasn't totally buying it. The first word to emerge from the crowd during McCain's speech came after he said he'd called Obama to congratulate him: "Bullshit!" McCain calmly tamped down objections—a move he's mastered lately. The audience did applaud politely at the lines about racial progress. But the mood was mostly somber. "I can't believe Obama will be president," one woman from California told me before ordering a glass of wine, a shot, and a chaser from the bar.

McCain also reminded Republicans of the election's silver lining: Sarah Palin. Don't laugh. By picking Palin, McCain re-energized the party and gave it a personality likely to remain popular for many years. "She's one of the best campaigners I have ever seen and an important new voice in the struggle," for conservative principles, he said. Palin, who had flown to Phoenix with her husband, Todd, after casting her vote in Alaska in the morning, said not a word. She didn't have to—her smile said it all: "I'll be back."

McCain closed his speech the same way he closed his convention speech—with a call to arms. Only this time, in the wake of an Obama victory, his words sounded different. "Nothing is inevitable here," he said. "Americans never quit. We never surrender." He didn't shout the words. He spoke them like you'd read a bedtime story. "We never hide from history," he went on. "We make history." It's hard to imagine better words to usher in Obama's victory.

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Christopher Beam is a Slate political reporter. Follow him on Twitter.

Photograph of John McCain by Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images.

COMMENTS

Throughout the campaign, I was struck by the superficial parallels between John McCain and Darth Vader.

Both started as young warriors, fighting for good. As time passed, they allowed their ambitions to distort their values and character, and both committed dishonorable acts in the pursuit of more power.

In the final scene of Jedi, Vader finds his conscience, and saves Luke's life. Luke then removes his mask to reveal a feeble old man, scarred and time-worn. I couldn't help but feel like McCain had his Jedi moment last night, in his concession speech, when he removed his own mask, and gave us a final glimpse of the good man he once was.

--DarkHelmet1976

(To reply, click here.)

It's all speculation on my part, but I predict that except for a book deal and a possible pundit gig on Fox, America has heard the last of Palin on the National Stage.

While she is qualified to be Vice President ("qualified" = over 35 and a natural born US citizen), there are dozens of Republican politicos who are more knowledgeable and capable of doing that job. The only reason she got the chance to run is because a whole lot of other GOP heavyweights saw the writing on the wall and declined to run with McCain.

The GOP needs to take a hard look at itself in the coming months. If they want to stay viable as a national party, they need to find someone else to be its figurehead.

--dobbsfox

(To reply, click here.)

Am I the only one finding McCain's speech not all that gracious? Rather McCain pointing out that Obama is black and empowers the powerless? That McCain implied that he just had the bad luck to be overrolled by the civil rights movement? Instead of "weirdly" as Beam puts it, I felt it was "intentionally".

I would be interested to read in the analyses how much black turnout really helped Obama getting elected. Until I read that it did, I think that this election was a referendum on GWB and the GOP of the 2000s.

--traugott

(To reply, click here.)

(10/28)

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