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A twelve-year speech from a losing John McCain has spread rapidly on social media in recent days. The reason is the debate on one of the most important pillars of democracy.
“We are at the end of a long journey. The American people have spoken and spoken clearly … »
It was the end of a long election night in November 2008, and presidential candidate John McCain wanted to talk to his supporters while the last votes were being counted, and realized that he no longer had a chance to catch up with his opponent Barack Obama.
McCain continued:
“A while ago, I had the honor of speaking with Senator Barack Obama to congratulate him …”
McCain was stopped by his supporters who arched loudly, but he simply shook his head and asked them to stop. He continued where he left off:
“… to congratulate him on winning the presidential elections in a country we both love. In such a long and difficult competition as this election campaign has been, his success alone should demand my respect for his ability and perseverance. He was also able to win by inspiring the hope of so many millions of Americans. “
The: Friday is not yet decided: here is the match now
THE DAY BEFORE THE INAUGURATION: John McCain and Barack Obama have dinner together in Washington DC the day before Obama’s inauguration in 2009. Photo: MANDEL NGAN / AFP
Define democracy
The peaceful transfer of power between heads of state after elections and the admission of electoral defeats is a cornerstone of democracy.
Professor Tore Wig, from the Department of Political Science at the University of Oslo, investigates democracies and authoritarian regimes.
He tells VG that an orderly and dignified takeover is crucial in a democratic country.
– It is important because it indicates what the core of democracy really is, that the losing party accepts defeat and prepares to win the next time.
It points to Adam Przeworski, a prominent Polish-American political scientist, who defines democracy as “systems in which the incumbent government loses elections and accepts defeat.”
That is why John MacCain’s speech from 2008 is now coming to light again.
Read also: Revenge of the grave? (VG +)
On Friday night, Donald Trump reappeared, for the first time since election night. He repeated the accusations that someone was trying to “steal” his victory.
– If you count the legal votes, I win easily. If you count the illegal votes, they may try to steal the election from us. If you count the votes that were late. We looked at them very closely, Trump said from the White House, without any documentation.
On Friday, the Trump campaign wrote on Twitter that it was clear that they did not intend to give up. They still believe that President Donald Trump will have four new years.
– This election is not over, they write on their official Twitter account.
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BACKGROUND: You do not plan to acknowledge the loss: – The election is not over
There is no evidence of his allegations of electoral fraud and what he calls illegal votes.
Professor Wig has seen the comparison between the speeches of McCain and Trump.
– When I see the two speeches, I think that there are two different worlds and that the Republican Party today is something completely different from 2008. Today the Republican Party is an authoritarian party, along the lines of Fidesz in Hungary or the AKP in Turkey, He says.
Historian: McCain as the perfect example
George W. Bush’s speech in 2008, when it became clear that Barack Obama had won the election over John McCain, now stands out again.
“Last night I had a warm conversation with the incoming president, Barack Obama. I congratulated him and Senator Biden on their impressive victory, and told Obama that he could count on the full cooperation of my administration in his transition to the White House. “
The controversial Bush went on to say:
“No matter how the people voted, all Americans can be proud of the history that was written yesterday. They showed a world that accompanied the vitality of American democracy and the path we have taken toward a more perfect union, that elected a president showing a triumph for “American history”.
Here you can read the Clinton and Bush letters to the incoming president:
– Don’t do anything to be a good loser.
On Friday morning, VG also spoke with one of the world’s leading historians investigating American presidents, Douglas Barkley.
He believes that the way a losing president speaks when he loses is essential to democracy.
– Usually, when an American president loses, he admits defeat with dignity, so McCain is a perfect example. Trump is like a strange deviation from history, because he puts himself ahead of all American democratic traditions. Now he feels the pain of losing, but he does nothing to be a good loser, he says.
AT THE EXIT? Donald Trump walking away from his press conference Friday night. Photo: Evan Vucci / AP
