New York, Nov 9 (EFE).- Hillary Clinton on Wednesday delivered a poised and emotional concession speech, thanking President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle for their “determined leadership” and asking her supporters to continue seeking their own “dreams” and fighting for “what is right.”
After being introduced by an emotional Tim Kaine, her running mate, Clinton said “This is painful, and it will be for a long time. We have seen that our nation is more deeply divided than we thought. But I still believe in America, and I always will.”
She said that the country owes the Obamas an “enormous debt of gratitude” for their “graceful, determined leadership” in her first speech since her stunning and unforeseen defeat in Tuesday’s presidential election was confirmed.
Clinton, in her remarks before dozens of supporters and aides at the New Yorker Hotel’s Grand Ballroom, thanked her staff for their hard work over the past couple of years, along with her family for their support and her supporters for their encouragement and contributions.
Clinton was defeated Tuesday by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in the all-important Electoral College, although she is ahead of the magnate – and now president-elect – in the popular vote.
In giving her speech, Clinton was accompanied by her husband, former President Bill Clinton, her daughter Chelsea, along with Kaine and his wife.
Among Clinton’s aides on hand for the speech was Huma Abedin, who in recent weeks had become involved in the former secretary of state’s e-mail scandal when the FBI found a large number of e-mails initially thought to be potentially relevant to that investigation on the laptop of her estranged husband, former Congressman Anthony Weiner.
When Abedin entered the venue, prior to Clinton’s arrival, she received a loud and sustained round of applause from those present, and emotionally acknowledged their gesture of support.
Clinton thanked all those who had put their “heart” into the campaign and said that she had spent her entire adult life fighting for what she believes.
She said that many of the young people in the room were just beginning their political careers and she called upon them never to stop believing in what is right.
“I’ve had successes and I’ve had setbacks,” Clinton said. “You will have setbacks, too. This loss hurts. But please, never stop believing that fighting for what’s right is worth it. It is. It is worth it.”