Kerry Concedes Race [Updated -3-]

Breaking: Fox News Channel is reporting that Kerry has called President Bush to concede.

Story at Fox.

News of the phone call came at 11:10 a.m. EDT Wednesday. Earlier in the morning, the Bush campaign declared victory, despite claims by Kerry’s campaign that the fight is not yet over in Ohio.

Update: Reports are that he will officially concede at 1pm.

Update:

“Congratulations, Mr. President,” Kerry said in the conversation described by sources as lasting less than five minutes. One of the sources was Republican, the other a Democrat.

The Democratic source said Bush called Kerry a worthy, tough and honorable opponent. Kerry told Bush the country was too divided, the source said, and Bush agreed. “We really have to do something about it,” Kerry said according to the Democratic official.

Kerry placed his call after weighing unattractive options overnight. With Bush holding fast to a six-figure lead in make-or-break Ohio, Kerry could give up or trigger a struggle that would have stirred memories of the bitter recount in Florida that propelled Bush to the White House in 2000.

More:

A Democratic source said Bush called Kerry a tough and honorable opponent. The source said Kerry told Bush the country is too divided and that the president agreed.
The Democratic official said Kerry told Bush, “We really have to do something about it.”

FOX: Bush Wins Nevada

He now has 274 Electoral Votes.

Bush Declares Victory [Updated]

Bush chief of staff: “We are convinced President Bush has won re-election with at least 286 Electoral College votes” and popular vote.

Details, links, quotes as we get them.

Update, via Fox:

President Bush’s campaign declared victory in the 2004 presidential election at 5:45 a.m. EST Wednesday.

“I want to thank all of you for staying up so late with us and good morning,” White House Chief of Staff Andy Card told haggard supporters at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington. “We are convinced that President Bush has won re-election with at least 286 Electoral College votes.”

Although Iowa, Nevada and Mexico had not yet made their results officials, Card said the GOP camp was counting those states in its column. Card also declared victory in Ohio, despite claims by John Kerry’s campaign that the fight is not yet over in The Buckeye State.

“This all adds up to a convincing victory,” Card said. “President Bush decided to give Senator Kerry the respect of more time to reflect on the results of this election.”

Bush will make statement “later today,” Card added.

Report: Bush to Make Victory Speech, No Concession From Kerry [Updated]

With Ohio looming as a Florida redux, President Bush prepared to declare re-election victory in the wee hours of Wednesday and Democratic rival John Kerry refused to concede.

After winning Nevada and pulling within 16 electoral votes of the 270 required for a second term, Bush was laying claim to Ohio’s 20 over Kerry’s objections. “We will not base our decision on a concession,” said Bush adviser Dan Bartlett.

Ceding nothing, Kerry dispatched running mate John Edwards to tell supporters in Boston: “We’ve waited four years for this victory. We can wait one more night.”

[…]

“We will fight for every vote,” Edwards said, borrowing a line from Gore. Both campaigns considered sending political and legal teams to Ohio, already the scene of dueling lawsuits over provisional ballots.

Read more…

Here’s the stat breakdown as of now:

OHIO
100% of Precincts Reporting
George W. Bush 2,777,645 - 51 percent
John Kerry 2,632,547 - 48 percent

NATIONAL
95% of Precincts Reporting
George W. Bush 51% 56,732,387
John Kerry 48% 53,004,905

From Time:

But unlike 2000 when Gore conceded only to take back his words, the Kerry campaign issued a statement earlier this morning saying that they would not give up until every last vote had been counted. “The vote count in Ohio has not been completed. There are more than 250,000 remaining votes to be counted. We believe when they are, John Kerry will win Ohio,” said Mary Beth Cahill, Kerry-Edwards campaign manager. The reason? The math is still a bit fuzzy, but with 99 percent of the precincts reporting, Bush held a lead of about 144,000 votes. The Kerry camp is banking that the still-to-be-counted provisional ballots can make up the difference and the long-time senator from Massachusetts was not prepared to give up the fight.

The Republican camp quickly fired back. On NBC, Rudy Giuliani told Tom Brokaw that Kerry’s chances in Ohio were slim and that the Senator should avoid a repeat of the month-long legal challenges that happened in 2000.

In Boston, John Edwards made at statement at 2:30am, Wednesday morning. “We’ve waited four years for this victory, we can wait one more night,” said Edwards. He went on to say: “John Kerry and I made a promise to the American people that in this election every vote would count and every vote would be counted. Tonight, we are keeping our word. You deserve no less.”

MSNBC: Kerry Wins Minnesota

MSNBC calls Minnesota for Kerry.

MSNBC’s Electoral Tally as of 4:42:
Bush 269
Kerry 221

CNN Calls Nevada for Bush

They’re still showing Ohio as a “cliffhanger” though.


Map from CNN at 0423am ET

BBC Calls Michigan for Kerry

Latest results:

Kerry 50.9
Bush 48.2
Nader 00.5

87% of precincts reported.

It's Not Over

MSNBC still has not called Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, and Wisconsin.

Kerry’s campaign is unwilling to concede, hoping that he would win Ohio’s 20 electoral votes when all the ballots were counted, which won’t happen for almost two weeks. MSNBC sums it up:

“We’ve waited four years for this victory. We can wait one more night,” Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, the Democratic vice presidential candidate, told cheering supporters in Boston.

The Bush Campaign responded:

Bush Communications Director Nicolle Devenish called the Kerry campaign’s stance “desperate,” saying Kerry would have to win an unrealistic number of votes to capture Ohio.

“There’s no mathematical path to victory for Kerry in Ohio,” she said. “There aren’t enough votes there to alter the outcome of the re-election of George W. Bush.”

From California Yankee.

BBC Calls Nevada for Bush

Bush 50.5 vs Kerry 47.8, with 99.9% of precincts counted.

MSNBC: Kerry Wins Hawaii

MSNBC calls Hawaii for Kerry.

MSNBC’s Electoral Vote tally at 3:21 am:
Bush 269
Kerry 211

CNN Announces Minnesota, Hawaii, and Michigan

CNN is announcing that Kerry has taken Minnesota, Hawaii, and Michigan. They are indicating that in Ohio, provisional ballots will make the difference. Bush 249 and Kerry 242 Electoral Votes.

CNN: KerryTakes Washington State

This gives Kerry 211 EVs, and GWB 249. Still no word from CNN on Ohio.

[Update: Sorry … had Bush in the headline by mistake. Getting a bit blurry after 20 hours of this …]

CNN: Republicans Keep Senate

That’s the projection … and this means the Republicans will control both houses of Congress.

CNN: Kerry Takes New Hampshire

Finally. This gives JK 200 EVs and GWB 249 EVs. This is also the only state to “flip” from how it called in 2000, going from Red to Blue.

FOX: Bush Takes FL and AK, Kerry Takes NH

Bush Wins Ohio, Florida, Alaska; Kerry Wins N.H.;
GOP Retains Control of Senate

ABC News Results – Bush Wins Alaska

ABC News Results – Bush Wins Alaska

Bush Takes
WV, IN, KY, OK, TN, AL, GA, NC, SC, ND,
SD, NE, KS, TX, WY, LA, MS, UT, AR, MO,
MT, VA, ID, AZ, FL, CO, AK

Kerry Takes
IL, VT, MA, NJ, MD, RI, CT, DE, DC, ME, NY,
CA, PA, OR, WA

Bush 249 EVs
Kerry 207 EVs

CNN: Alaska Goes To Bush

This brings GWB to 249 EVs, and Kerry at 195 …

MSNBC : Bush Wins Alaska And Ohio

MSNBC calls Alaska and Ohio for President Bush.

CNN Is Not So Sure ...

David Gergen is on CNN noting that another network (FOX) has called Ohio for Bush. CNN clearly isn’t ready to go there yet … but CNN has been more cautious than the other networks as we’ve gotten later into the evening.

Fool me once, I suppose …

CNN: Kerry Takes Oregon; GOP Keeps House

So say the folks at CNN. This gives Bush 246 EVs, and Kerry 195 EVs.

Oh … and the GOP keeps control of the House of Representatives for another two years …

CNN: Bush Takes Colorado And Montana

This adds another 12 EVs to bush, making his total 246 to Kerry’s 188. No word yet on Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin …

ABC News Results – Bush Wins Colorado

ABC News Results – Bush Wins Colorado

Bush Takes
WV, IN, KY, OK, TN, AL, GA, NC, SC, ND,
SD, NE, KS, TX, WY, LA, MS, UT, AR, MO,
MT, VA, ID, AZ, FL, CO

Kerry Takes
IL, VT, MA, NJ, MD, RI, CT, DE, DC, ME, NY,
CA, PA, OR

Bush 246 EVs
Kerry 195 EVs

MSNBC: Bush Wins Colorado And Florida

MSNBC calls Colorado and Florida for President Bush.

ABC News Results – Kerry Wins Oregon

ABC News Results – Kerry Wins Oregon

Bush Takes
WV, IN, KY, OK, TN, AL, GA, NC, SC, ND,
SD, NE, KS, TX, WY, LA, MS, UT, AR, MO,
MT, VA, ID, AZ, FL

Kerry Takes
IL, VT, MA, NJ, MD, RI, CT, DE, DC, ME, NY,
CA, PA, OR

Bush 237 EVs
Kerry 195 EVs

MSNBC: Bush Wins Montana

MSNBC calls Montana for President Bush.

MSNBC’s Electoral Vote tally as of 12:15 am:
Bush 214
Kerry 206

CNN: Arizona, Florida To Bush

This brings the President’s Electoral Vote total to 234, and Kerry’s to 188.

MSNBC: Kerry Wins Oregon

MSNBC calls Oregon for Kerry.

MSNBC’s Electoral Vote tally as of 12:05 am:
Bush 207
Kerry 206

My Prediction: Bush Wins

      If there’s a single state that’s switched so far, I haven’t seen it.

      Florida has 94% of its vote counted, and Bush is ahead about 4.5%.  Ohio has only 60% of its precincts in, but Bush leads by over 6%.  And Bush is ahead 3% in national results.

      I say it’s decided: Bush has won.

ABC News Results – Bush Wins Florida

ABC News Results – Bush Wins Florida

Bush Takes
WV, IN, KY, OK, TN, AL, GA, NC, SC, ND,
SD, NE, KS, TX, WY, LA, MS, UT, AR, MO,
MT, VA, ID, AZ, FL

Kerry Takes
IL, VT, MA, NJ, MD, RI, CT, DE, DC, ME, NY,
CA, PA

Bush 237 EVs
Kerry 188 EVs

FOX: AZ, MT to Bush

Fox calls Arizona and Montana for the president.

ABC News Results – Bush Wins Arizona

ABC News Results – Bush Wins Arizona

Bush Takes
WV, IN, KY, OK, TN, AL, GA, NC, SC, ND,
SD, NE, KS, TX, WY, LA, MS, UT, AR, MO,
MT, VA, ID, AZ

Kerry Takes
IL, VT, MA, NJ, MD, RI, CT, DE, DC, ME, NY,
CA, PA

Bush 210 EVs
Kerry 188 EVs

MSNBC: Kerry Wins California and Washington

MSNBC calls California and Washington for Kerry.

ABC News Results – Bush Wins ID Kerry takes CA, PA

ABC News Results – Bush Wins ID Kerry takes CA, PA

Bush Takes
WV, IN, KY, OK, TN, AL, GA, NC, SC, ND,
SD, NE, KS, TX, WY, LA, MS, UT, AR, MO,
MT, VA, ID

Kerry Takes
IL, VT, MA, NJ, MD, RI, CT, DE, DC, ME, NY,
CA, PA

Bush 200 EVs
Kerry 188 EVs

FOX: Idaho for Bush, WA for Kerry

Bush takes Idaho and Washington goes to Kerry, according to FNC (who are still like parrots squawking “too close to call, too close to call!”).

MSNBC: Bush Wins Idaho

MSNBC calls Idaho for President Bush.

CBS: Bush gets Colorado, Kerry gets California

In a local feed, the CBS national reporter in Washington DC let slip that CBS was predicting Kerry to take California (hardly a surprise) and Bush to take Colorado.

CNN: CA To Kerry, ID To Bush

CNN TV calls California for Kerry, and Idaho for Bush. This gives 197 EVs to GWB and 188 EVs to JK.

11 p.m.: California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii

We’ll post them as soon as they’re called …

MSNBC: Kerry Wins Pennslyvania

MSNBC calls Pennslyvania for Kerry.

MSNBC: Bush Wins Arizona

MSNBC calls Arizona for President Bush.

CBS: Pennsylvania projected for Kerry

21 EVs for Kerry.

Bush 196, Kerry 133

Senate: One Red (A Pickup) & One Blue

Demint/R picks up a set for the Republicans in South Carolina, Ried/D keeps his seat from Nevada.

FOX: Bush Takes Arkansas, Missouri

FNC Projects: Bush Wins Arkansas and Missouri

Electoral Votes
270 of 538 needed to win
Bush 176
Kerry 112

ABC News Results – Bush Wins Montana

ABC News Results – Bush Wins Montana

Bush Takes
WV, IN, KY, OK, TN, AL, GA, NC, SC, ND,
SD, NE, KS, TX, WY, LA, MS, UT, AR, MO,
MT

Kerry Takes
IL, VT, MA, NJ, MD, RI, CT, DE, DC, ME, NY,

Bush 195 EVs
Kerry 112 EVs

MSNBC: Bush Wins Missouri

MSNBC calls Missouri for President Bush.

CBS revises estimate down

At one point, CBS had 196 EV for Bush to 112 for Kerry, and after break came back with 185 for Bush. Rather: "We had a little hitch in our giddyup."

DejaVu All Over Again

CNN: To this point, there is NO variation between how the states have called now compared to how they did in 2000. Every states that’s gone to Bush went to Bush in 2000, and every state that’s gone to Kerry went to Gore.

MSNBC: Bush Wins Arkansas

MSNBC calls Arkansas for President Bush.

CBS: Ark. called for Bush

CBS EV count is 185 or 191 for Bush, 112 for Kerry, and they still haven't called any of the swing states.

Iowa Early Results

1% in -
Bush 62%
Kerry 38%

ABC News Results – Bush Wins Missouri

ABC News Results – Bush Wins Missouri

Bush Takes
WV, IL, KY, OK, TN, AL, GA, NC, SC, ND,
SD, NE, KS, TX, WY, LA, MS, UT, AR, MO

Kerry Takes
IL, VT, MA, NJ, ML, CN, DE, DC, ME, NY,

Bush 192 EVs
Kerry 112 EVs

FOX : Bush in Utah, Mississippi

Fox, like nearly everyone else, calls Mississippi, Utah for Bush.

Is it me or is are the FNC pundits being very careful tonight, as if the ghost of the 2000 projections are hanging over them?

ABC News Results – Bush adds Utah, Arkansas

ABC News Results – Bush adds Utah, Arkansas

Bush Takes
WV, IL, KY, OK, TN, AL, GA, NC, SC, ND,
SD, NE, KS, TX, WY, LA, MS, UT, AR

Kerry Takes
IL, VT, MA, NJ, ML, CN, DE, DC, ME, NY,

Bush 181 EVs
Kerry 112 EVs

MSNBC: Bush Wins Utah

MSNBC calls Utah for President Bush.

CNN: Bush Carries Utah

CNN TV reports that Bush carries Utah … Iowa and Nevada cannot yet be called.

FOX : Bush in Lousiana

Fox News has called Louisiana in favor of Bush.

MSNBC: Bush Wins Louisiana and Mississippi

MSNBC calls Louisiana and Mississippi for President Bush.

ABC News Results -

ABC News Results – Bush adds LA, MS

Bush Takes
WV, IL, KY, OK, TN, AL, GA, NC, SC, ND, SD, NE, KS, TX, WY, LA, MS

Kerry Takes
IL, VT, MA, NJ, ML, CN, DE, DC, ME, NY

Bush 170 EVs
Kerry 112 EVs

MSNBC: Kerry Wins New York and Rhode Island

MSNBC calls New York and Rhode Island for Kerry

MSNBC: Bush Wins Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming

MSNBC calls Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming for President Bush.

CBS Senate races

AZ - McCain (R) projected to win
CO - too close to call between Coors and Salazar
KS - Sam Brownback (R) wins
LA - too close with four Dems and one Repub.
NY - Schumer (D) wins
ND - Byron Dorgan (D) wins
SD - too close to call between Daschle (D) and Thune (R) "The fight of his political life"
WI - Russ Feingold (D) wins

House will stay in republican hands, CBS estimates.

FOX 9PM Projections

FNC Projects: Bush Wins Texas, Neb., Wyo., N.D., S.D., Kan.;
Kerry Wins N.Y., R.I.

FOX Projection Recap

Recap on FOX Projections (before 9pm call)

Kerry: Maine, Vermont, Mass, Conn, NJ, MD, IL

Bush: OK, TN, KY, AL, IN, WV, VA, NC. SC. AL, GA

Electoral votes: Bush 102, Kerry 77

CBS at 9 p.m.

Bush leading Kerry 54-45 percent.

Electoral
Bush 162, Kerry 112.

Bush takes the entire middle of the country from
Bush
Texas - 31
Kansas - 6
Nebraska - 5
North Dakota - 3
South Dakota - 3
Wyoming - 3

Kerry
New York - 36
R.I. - 4

Insufficient Data:
Michigan
Arizona
Minnesota
Wisconsin
Colorado
Louisiana
New Mexico

CNN: Bush Carries Texas, ND, KA, SD, WY, and Nebraska; Kerry Takes NY and RI

CNN TV reports:

• Bush carries Texas, N. Dakota, Kansas, S. Dakota, Wyoming, and Nebraska (at least 4 of 5 votes)

• Kerry takes New York and Rhode Island

This gives GWB 155 EVs and JK 112 EVs.

Senate: Four Red, Three Blue

Coburn/R in OK, Bond/R in MI, Mikulski/D in MD, Shelby/R, in AL, Gregg/R in NH, Lincoln/D in Ark, Volnovich/R in OH, and Dodd/D in CT.

ABC News Results -

ABC News Results – Bush adds ND, SD, NE, KS, TX, WY Kerry Adds NY

Bush Takes
WV, IL, KY, OK, TN, AL, GA, NC, SC, ND, SD, NE, KS, TX, WY

Kerry Takes
IL, VT, MA, NJ, ML, CN, DE, DC, ME, NY

Bush 155 EVs
Kerry 112 EVs

MSNBC Bush Wins Virginia

MSNBC calls Virginia for President Bush.

CBS: Fla. results inconclusive

Bush is up 55-44 percent in Florida right now (1.3 million to 1 million), but Miami-Dade isn't reporting, so CBS is holding off on a projection.

MSNBC: Bush Wins North Carolina

MSNBC Calls North Carolina for President Bush.

ABC News Results – Bush adds SC

ABC News Results

Bush Takes
WV, IL, KY, OK, TN, AL, GA, NC, SC

Kerry Takes
IL, VT, MA, NJ, ML, CN, DE, DC, Maine ( 3 out of 4 EVs)

Bush 102 EVs
Kerry 77 EVs

CBS "threes"

Dan Rather and CBS are keeping an eye on nine states with the cute name "Big three, middle three and little three."

Big Three
FL, PA, OH

Middle three
WI, MN, IA

Little Three
NM, HI, NH

None of these states have been projected yet, but Bob Schieffer was hinting than Penn. would go to Kerry.

FOX: Bush Wins in NC, VA

Headlining on FOX now.

CNN: Bush Carries Virginia, S.C.

This gives GWB 87 EVs and Kerry 77 Evs.

ABC News Results – Bush adds NC, VA Kerry grabs Maine

ABC News Results

Bush Takes
WV, IL, KY, OK, TN, AL, GA, NC, VA

Kerry Takes
IL, VT, MA, NJ, ML, CN, DE, DC, Maine (1 outstanding EV)

Bush 94 EVs
Kerry 77 EVs

MSNBC: Bush Wins North Carolina

MSNBC Calls North Carolina for President Bush.

MSNBC: Bush Wins Alabama, Oklahoma, and Tennesse

MSNBC calls Alabama, Oklahoma, and Tennesse for President Bush.

UPDATE: Louisiana should have been Alabama. Sorry! The post is now correct.

FOX Projections: Kerry Takes NJ, 5 other states

Kerry Wins N.J., Mass., Del., Ill., Conn., Md.;
Bush Wins Ala., Tenn., Okla.

Will be updated.

These results may change …

CNN: Kerry Carries NJ, CT, DE, and others; Bush Carries TN, AL, OK

CNN TV reports:

• Kerry carries Illinois, Connec., D.C., New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Mass.
• Maine splits: 3 of 4 EVs to to Kerry
• Bush carries, Tenn, Alabama, and Oklahoma

This gives GWB 66 EVs, and JK and 77 EVs.