A day after Donald Trump won election as America's 45th president, Hillary Clinton on Wednesday said the nation proved to be "more divided than we thought" but urged unity and told her supporters, "We owe him an open mind and a chance to lead."
Standing before a crowd of crestfallen but cheering supporters, she said, "This is painful and it will be for a long time."
Trump's triumph over Clinton, not declared until well after midnight, will end eight years of Democratic dominance of the White House. He'll govern with Congress fully under Republican control and lead a country deeply divided by his rancorous campaign against Clinton. He faces fractures within his own party, too, given the numerous Republicans who either tepidly supported his nomination or never backed him at all.
As he claimed victory early Wednesday, Trump urged Americans to "come together as one united people."
That sentiment was echoed by the GOP House Speaker Paul Ryan, who had been a reluctant Trump supporter. "This needs to be a time of redemption, not a time of recrimination," Ryan said in a news conference. He also said Trump had earned a "mandate" to enact his agenda.
Clinton, hoping to become the first woman to be elected president, conceded defeat in a telephone call to Trump.
With several million votes still to be counted, she held a narrow lead in the nationwide popular vote. Most of the outstanding votes appeared to be in Democratic-leaning states, with the biggest chunk in California, a state Clinton overwhelmingly won. With almost 125 million votes counted, The Associated Press tally had Clinton with 47.7 percent and Trump with 47.5 percent.
Global stock markets and U.S. stock futures plunged early Wednesday, but later recovered, reflecting investor concern over what a Trump presidency might mean. The Dow Jones industrial average was flat after trading opened Wednesday.
President Barack Obama called Trump to congratulate him and invited the Republican to a meeting at the White House Thursday to discuss transition. Obama also called Clinton to convey his admiration for the "strong campaign she waged throughout the country," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said.
Clinton said of the man whose victory she declared would be a danger to America and the world: "I hope that he will be a successful president for all Americans."
"We have seen that our nation is more deeply divided than we thought," she said. "But I still believe in America and I always will."
Global stock markets and U.S. stock futures plunged early Wednesday, but later recovered. The Dow Jones industrial average was up more than 1 percent in late-day trading in New York.
President Barack Obama congratulated Trump in a phone call and invited him to a meeting at the White House on Thursday.
In the Rose Garden on Wednesday, Obama said he had significant differences with Trump, as he had with George W. Bush upon taking office eight years ago. But he promised a smooth transition.
"Everybody is sad when their side loses an election," said Obama, who risks seeing much of his legacy reversed in a Trump administration. "The day after, we have to remember we're actually all on one team."
Check back with Arkansas Online for updates and read Thursday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.