Presidential Winners and Losers: Words Of Victory and ConcessionPresidential scholar John Vile brings together a rich collection of speeches, statements, and related information that focus on a subject largely neglected by presidential studies: How successful and unsuccessful candidates for the highest office in the land deal with the outcome of the election. Every four years Americans select one person to occupy the White House for four years. One or more others must deal with their defeat, in public statements and private thoughts. In modern times, victory and concession speeches are an expected part of the election pageant, routinely delivered instantly to the nation's voters on television. It was not always so. Formal concession statements in telegrams and speeches did not emerge until the late 19th century. Even victory speeches developed slowly to their modern form. Vile has collected more than 500 speeches and other documents, from George Washington to George W. Bush, that relate to the outcome of elections. Many are actual candidate statements or speeches, while others are private letters, diary entries, interviews, and newspaper and journal articles. Vile shows how, collectively, they create a window to the thoughts of presidential can |
Contents
Unopposed George Washington Becomes the First President | 15 |
John Adams Federalist and Thomas Jefferson DemocraticRepublican | 21 |
Thomas Jefferson DemocraticRepublican and John Adams Federalist | 30 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
Abigail Adams Adlai Administration American Andrew Jackson asked ballot believe Blaine Bryan Bush called campaign candidate citizens Clinton concession speeches confidence congratulations Congratulatory Telegram Congress Constitution contest count Dear defeat democracy Democratic Party Democratic-Republican Diary Entry duty elec Election Night electoral college electoral votes express Federalist feel fight Florida Florida Supreme Court friends George going Gore Governor Henry Clay honor hope Inaugural Address issue James John Adams John Quincy Adams Johnson Letter Lincoln majority McKinley Memoirs ment Messages nation never Nixon nomination November November 13 paign peace political popular vote presidential election principles Republican Party responsibility result returns Roosevelt South Statement Stevenson Taft thank things Thomas Jefferson tion tonight Truman U.S. senator U.S. Supreme Court Union United Vice President Victory Speech voters Washington Whig William William Jennings Bryan wish York