President George W. Bush stood before hundreds of cheering supporters on November 3, a few hours after learning that he had won another four-year term. Democratic Senator John Kerry, his opponent, had phoned that morning to congratulate the President.
"America has spoken, and I am humbled by the trust and the confidence of my fellow citizens," Bush told the crowd in Washington, D.C. "With that trust comes a duty to serve all Americans, and I will do my best to fulfill that duty every day."
Earlier that afternoon, Kerry spoke to his supporters in Boston, Massachusetts. He thanked every American who had voted. "I know your struggles; I know your hopes. They are a part of me now," Kerry said. "And I will never forget you, and I'll never stop fighting for you."
A Time to Work Together
Both Bush and Kerry said that Democrats and Republicans should set aside
their differences and begin cooperating on new laws and plans. That's a
tough assignment. As the voting results make clear, the nation is
divided down the middle.
Nearly 120 million Americans voted on Election Day. That is just under 60% of all eligible voters--the highest percentage turnout since 1968. By comparison, in the 2000 election, only about 105 million voted. This time, Bush won 51% of the popular vote. Kerry took about 48.5% of the popular vote. Ralph Nader got less than 1% of the popular vote.
Mostly Calm at the Polls
Some voters had worried that Elec-tion Day might be a big mess. After
the 2000 election, there was no clear outcome. The tally was so
close--especially in Florida, where it also proved difficult to count
the votes--that the fight for the White House turned into a legal
battle. Weeks later, the U.S. Supreme Court stepped in to settle things.
No one wanted a repeat of that race's finish. But with so many
registered to vote and such a tight contest, this race also had the
potential for chaos.
On Election Day, there were rough spots, but no major disasters. In some places, voters had to wait for hours in long lines. There were reports of voting machines that did not work properly. The vote in Iowa was so close that the result was not known until Friday. But Iowa's votes wouldn't have been enough to help Kerry win.
With the election over, Kerry will return to the Senate to represent Massachusetts, as he has for 20 years.
The Next Four Years
At a press conference last Thursday, the President pledged to continue
the war on terror and the effort to bring democracy to war-torn Iraq. On
the homefront, he hopes to make changes to the Social Security system,
which aids working Americans after they retire, and to the tax system.
Although the Presidential race was often negative and harsh, Bush said
that he was ready to work with members of both major political parties
to achieve his goals.
"Democrats want a free and peace-ful world," he said. "Americans are expecting a bipartisan effort and results. I will reach out to everyone who shares our goals."
State by State
Although the states that voted for President Bush cover a lot of
territory, the electoral vote was actually close--286 to 252. Votes were
still being counted in Iowa as of last Friday.