Channel News Asia

Some McCain supporters harbour bitter feelings over election results

By Channel NewsAsia's US Correspondent Malcolm Brown Posted: 05 November 2008 2154 hrs


Phoenix, ARIZONA: Republican Senator John McCain conceded the presidential race to Democrat Barack Obama on Wednesday, saying his rival had achieved a "great thing" for himself and the country with his historic victory. It was the moment that even die-hard John McCain supporters have to accept - that the polls were basically right and that their candidate's race for the White House was conclusively over. "Dear friends, we have come to the end of our journey, the American people have spoken and they have spoken clearly," McCain said. The defeated Republican gave a gracious concession speech, urging his supporters to work with the president-elect on the nation's problems. As they headed home, not all the Republican faithful seem receptive to that message. After such a long hard race, there were obvious hard feelings among McCain supporters. "Barack Obama has done nothing ever in his life. He doesn't deserve this. It is a sad day in American democracy and that's exactly how I feel," one of them said. The verdict of the electorate leaves the Republicans contemplating a future, in which they control neither the Congress nor the White House. "We're going to have to be a firewall against this radical leftist agenda," a Republican said. As the Democrats celebrate the extraordinary night, disappointed Republicans face a painful post mortem and a potentially bitter struggle over the future party direction.