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BOSTON, Massachusetts (CNN) -- Sen. John Kerry conceded defeat to President bush on Wednesday and asked the country to put the bitter divisions of the election behind them.

"I spoke to President bush and I offered him and Laura our congratulations on their victory," Kerry said in a speech to a cheering crowd in Boston.

"We talked about the division in our country and the need, desperate need, for unity. ...Today, I hope we can begin the healing."

Kerry said he was giving up any plans to challenge the vote count in Ohio, where the tally is incomplete.

CNN now projects bush the winner of Ohio's 20 electoral votes, giving the president 274 electoral votes -- he needed 270 for re-election. (Small inroads make difference for bush)

The president was making a speech Wednesday afternoon. Aides said bush would commit to reaching out to Democrats during his address.

Kerry called bush at his Oval Office desk about 11:02 a.m. ET, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said. During the brief conversation, bush told the senator he was "an admirable, worthy opponent."
"You waged one tough campaign," McClellan quoted the president as saying. "I hope you are proud of the effort you put in. You should be."

Kerry "could not have been more gracious," said bush adviser Karl Rove. "The senator told the president, 'I want to work with you to heal the country,' " Rove quoted Kerry as saying.

bush is the first U.S. presidential candidate since his father to win with more than 50 percent of the vote, an indicator, White House aides said, that the country is more united now than it was in 2000, when bush lost the popular vote to Vice President Al Gore.

Kerry called the president after he and advisers reviewed voting returns from Ohio. (Electoral College)
Republicans also added to their majorities in the House and Senate, where they knocked off the Democrats' top senator, Tom Daschle of South Dakota. The GOP was on its way to a net gain of at least three Senate seats.

Other key Republican takeovers were in Louisiana, where Rep. David Vitter became the state's first GOP senator since Reconstruction, and in Florida, where Mel Martinez defeated Betty Castor to take retiring Democratic Sen. Bob Graham's seat.

One Senate seat remains too close to call -- the race in Alaska between incumbent Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski and former Democratic Gov. Tony Knowles, but Murkowski was holding the lead.

In the House, Republicans were on their way to a net gain of at least four seats, including a pickup of five Democratic seats in Texas, where a controversial redistricting plan pushed by House Majority Leader Tom DeLay redrew the state's map to make it more Republican-friendly. (Senate, House)
Democrats had fewbright spots: Melissa Bean defeated longtime GOP Rep. Phil Crane, the Republicans' longest-serving congressman, in Illinois, and in Colorado, rancher John Salazar won out over orchard owner Greg Walcher.

In Georgia, John Barrow was on the verge of knocking out incumbent GOP Rep. Max burns, but the race has not yet been called.

On the Senate side, Illinois state Sen. Barack Obama, a rising Democratic star, won by a large margin over Republican Alan Keyes. And Democratic Attorney General Ken Salazar won in Colorado over Republican beer magnate Pete Coors.

Early Wednesday morning, White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card told supporters at the Ronald Reagan building and International Trade Center in Washington that he was convinced of the president's victory, saying the last three undecided states -- Ohio, Iowa and New Mexico -- would bring "at least 286 Electoral College votes." (Transcript of Card's comments)

Few states switched from one party to the other from four years ago. New Hampshire, which bush narrowly won in 2000, went for Kerry. bush has so far won no state carried by Gore four years ago, but would do so by taking either Iowa or New Mexico. He holds leads in both states.

In the popular vote, which bush lost four years ago, the president was carrying 51 percent to 48 percent for Kerry and 1 percent for independent Ralph Nader.

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This has been taken by Necro2k2, from www.cnn.com
Hmm, what can I say? Some people are just ignorant, or just plain stupid. Even though bush has his little secrets out, this guy still WON. How can this be? Do we need another terrorist attack on another place other then New York City, to tell us that IT'S NOT A GOOD THING FOR HIM TO BECOME PRESIDENT.
If you voted in this year's election well then thank you, if you didn't and don't like what you see (but are in the legal age to vote) well then to DAMN BAD.
I suppose alot of you see this as "oh it's just 4 more years." Don't you know what could happen in those 4 MORE YEARS? I hope some of you get what you deserve one way or the other.
Congratulate your president of the United States Of America. George W. bush.

Edited By Necro2k2 on 1099513847