Bush reaches out to Democrats

WASHINGTON, DEC. 14. The Vice-President, Mr. Al Gore, conceded defeat in the U.S. presidential election to the Texas Governor, Mr. George W. Bush, in a generous and patriotic speech, saying, ``may God bless his stewardship of this country.''

On the 36th day since the election that was virtually tied, Mr. Gore finally yielded and called on all Americans to unite behind ``president-elect Bush'' who will be sworn in as President on January 20, 2001.

The only shred of bitterness in Mr. Gore's speech came when he said he strongly disagreed with Tuesday's Supreme Court decision stopping further vote recounts in Florida, which killed his last hope of capturing the White House. But he said he honoured and respected the court's 5-4 decision.

``Just moments ago I talked to Mr. George W. Bush and congratulated him on becoming the 43rd President of the United States, and promised that I would not call him back this time,'' the Vice-President said, referring to his aborted concession on election night, on November 8, which he rescinded an hour later.

``I offered to meet him as soon as possible so that we can start to heal the divisions of the campaign and the contest through which we just passed,'' Mr. Gore said.

Mr. Gore was only the fourth presidential candidate to win the popular vote and lose the election and the first since 1888. He closed his remarks, saying, ``and now my friends, in a phrase I once addressed to others, it is time for me to go.''

Bush praises Gore

An hour later, Mr. Bush in his victory address from Austin, Texas, paid tributes to Mr. Gore and said they agreed to meet early next week in Washington.

``I am not elected to serve one party, but to serve one nation,'' he said.

Mr. Bush, who becomes the second person to follow a father's footsteps into the White House, said: ``I hope the long wait of the last five weeks will heighten a desire to move beyond the bitterness and partisanship of the recent past.''

Stating that America wanted reconciliation and unity, he said: ``Together guided by a spirit of common sense, common courtesy and common goals, we can unite and inspire the American citizens. Together we will have a bipartisan foreign policy true to our values and true to our friends. And we will have a military equal to every challenge, and superior to every adversary.''

Support Bush: Clinton

In London, the President, Mr. Bill Clinton, urged Americans to put the ``rancour'' of the election wrangle behind them and support Mr. Bush.

- Reuters, PTI.

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