Concession speeches
November 8, 2006 8:10 AM   Subscribe

Please enjoy concession speeches from various people who did not win, or skip if not interested. Katherine Harris. Jim Talent. Rick Santorum. Harold Ford. Mike DeWine. Richard Nixon. Kerry Healey. Ned Lamont.
posted by thirteenkiller (55 comments total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
There's nothing in the streets
Looks any different to me
And the slogans are replaced, by-the-bye
And the parting on the left
Are now parting on the right
And the beards have all grown longer overnight

I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again
Don't get fooled again

Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss...
posted by ZenMasterThis at 8:12 AM on November 8, 2006 [1 favorite]


Please post this as a comment in the ongoing election results thread.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 8:16 AM on November 8, 2006


...or skip if not interested.

Well, hot damn. You tell 'em! Click names for more information, dzerg rush lulz
posted by prostyle at 8:20 AM on November 8, 2006


*Skips*
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 8:21 AM on November 8, 2006


Santorum Mwahhahaaaa, three years later, I still chuckle every time I see that name.
posted by zekinskia at 8:24 AM on November 8, 2006


I love the smell of schadenfreude in the morning...
posted by gsteff at 8:25 AM on November 8, 2006


EAT SANTORUM, SANTORUM!!
posted by daninnj at 8:28 AM on November 8, 2006


The number of clear idiots not elected is rather gratifying.

Rather disapointing that Virginia chooses not to shake off it's reputation of being at least 50% racist.
posted by Artw at 8:33 AM on November 8, 2006




That's the funniest picture I've seen in weeks.
posted by gsteff at 8:42 AM on November 8, 2006


Big Love!
posted by Artw at 8:45 AM on November 8, 2006


Funniest? It's fuckin scarey. I feel like I could write the feelings down of each of their children.
posted by cavalier at 8:49 AM on November 8, 2006


Why does he dress his daughter like a Little Woman?
posted by sonofsamiam at 8:52 AM on November 8, 2006


The girl with the doll is probably thinking "Why the hell did daddy force me to wear this?!?"

His wife looks like Jocelyne Wildenstein.
posted by daninnj at 8:53 AM on November 8, 2006


Did he really bring his daughter up the podium carrying a doll?

"Look America! Look what the Democrats did to my poor little girl. "
posted by sourwookie at 8:55 AM on November 8, 2006


The Last Election

Suppose there are no returns,
and the candidates, one
by one, drop off in the polls,
as the voters turn away,
each to his inner persuasion.

The front-runners, the dark horses,
begin to look elsewhere,
and even the President admits
he has nothing new to say;
it is best to be silent now.

No more conventions, no donors,
no more hats in the ring;
no ghost-written speeches,
no promises we always knew
were never meant to be kept.

And something like the truth,
or what we knew by that name –
that for which no corporate
sponsor was ever offered –
takes hold of the public mind.

Each subdued and thoughtful
citizen closes his door, turns
off the news. He opens a book,
speaks quietly to his children,
begins to live once more.

    John Haines
posted by languagehat at 8:56 AM on November 8, 2006 [2 favorites]


There was a fantastically weird concession speech from Chris Callaghan, who lost the NY State Comptroller race to Alan Hevesi despite the scandal that he used an aide to chauffeur his wife around.

He called the entire election process "interesting" and then stated that he "cannot help but regard the decision of New York voters as odd".

It's a refreshing sort of bewilderment. I'd love to see video, if anyone can find it.
posted by Remy at 8:56 AM on November 8, 2006


Are there transcripts? I'm at work and my headphones are broken. And so is my google-finger.
posted by hermitosis at 8:57 AM on November 8, 2006


What happened to all those hax0red voting machines that everyone was worried about?
posted by dsquid at 9:15 AM on November 8, 2006


XQUZ, they're like the cast for a fatty Battle Royale, only meaner
posted by matteo at 9:18 AM on November 8, 2006


How about just dubbing Nixon's "I am not a crook" talk on the videos of all of the concession speeches? That would rock.
posted by calhound at 9:38 AM on November 8, 2006


She's just upset for the family dog, now that Dad's gonna be around a lot more.
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 9:40 AM on November 8, 2006 [1 favorite]


Your popup blocker has blocked access to the CNN Video Player. To view your video, please launch CNN Video Player below.
And for the pleasure of seeing Katharine Harris defeated, I get popup ads forever? Tempting nevertheless.
posted by Cranberry at 9:41 AM on November 8, 2006


I don't like R. Santorum and I'm happy to see him go, but why not let his kid alone. His daughter looks genuinely upset and I've seen many girls her age dressed to match their "american girl" dolls. Her tears seem genuine as do his sons tears. Every single politician has their family on stage for their speeches win or loose.

If you have to, stick to kicking Rick, not his kids. It's getting to be like LGF in here.
posted by JBennett at 9:43 AM on November 8, 2006 [1 favorite]


What happened to all those hax0red voting machines that everyone was worried about?


They're in Montana, Indiana, Ohio, New Jersey and Colorado, apparently.
posted by Artw at 9:46 AM on November 8, 2006


Santorum's concession speech was classy as hell. I'll give him credit for that.
posted by empath at 9:58 AM on November 8, 2006


Yeah, it was pretty classless of him to drag his family up there. What does that little girl really know about what just happened? Far as she's concerned, daddy just got fired.

Not that I feel any sympathy for the old Frothy Mixture, mind you. It's just a shame he would exploit his family like that.
posted by EatTheWeek at 9:59 AM on November 8, 2006


If you have to, stick to kicking Rick, not his kids.

Here, here. Those kids have enough troubles already.
posted by sklero at 10:01 AM on November 8, 2006


And of course I meant "hear, hear."
posted by sklero at 10:02 AM on November 8, 2006


Sure, that's true, LGF take it off the scale of anything decent, but I still think it's shitty to mock a 12 (or whatever age she is) year old girl and make fun of his kids weight. Etc. It might not be LGF, but it's uncalled for. There is plenty about Santorum himself to insult. This is the same as when Chelsea Clinton was mocked when she entered the public eye. It's definitely uncalled for.
posted by JBennett at 10:02 AM on November 8, 2006


If you have to, stick to kicking Rick, not his kids. It's getting to be like LGF in here.

I think Mefi is providing a valuable service to those kids. They'd better toughen up fast, since, in addition to being homeschooled Jesus freak spawn who cried boo-hoo on TV when their demon-spawn daddy lost his sweet gig, they're also named Santorum, which can't be good.
posted by Optamystic at 10:08 AM on November 8, 2006


I posted the picture, and I don't think it's appropriate to make fun of the kids. Santorum is totally fair game.

I posted the picture because I think it's totally fascinating as photojournalism. It so perfectly shows so much of what Santorum stood for - family, which seems like it should be a good thing, but freakily perverted by superstition.

I really doubt the girl picked out her outfit or pinned that cross to herself. Even if she did, it's still her parents who put her in the public eye.

Anyway, not ironicly at all, I love that picture. I think it should hang in a museum.
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 10:10 AM on November 8, 2006


On a side note, I think the photograph is beautiful. Like the best portraits it's got lots of honest emotion and a decent composition. If only the camera were a foot to the left we would have the whole family in there. It's sort of feels like a more Shelby Lee Adams picture, and he has also been accused of explotation.
posted by JBennett at 10:15 AM on November 8, 2006


It's definitely uncalled for.

Thanks for the update, hallway monitor. Your indignation at our indignation is most certainly warranted. Who knows what kind of ethical quandary we may have found ourselves in had our vile intarweb-antics continued unabated? For shame, MeFi, for shame!

It so perfectly shows so much of what Santorum stood for - family extreme hyperbole, which seems like it should be a good thing, but freakily perverted by superstition baldfaced lies and propaganda.

I really doubt the girl picked out her outfit or pinned that cross to herself.

So, logically, the tears were naturally procured due to the circumstances and her vast grasp on the electoral process and the issues at hand. Right?
posted by prostyle at 10:15 AM on November 8, 2006


UFF. [its] and […like a more subdued Shelby…]
posted by JBennett at 10:17 AM on November 8, 2006


What the hell, prostyle. Are you seriously not only defending but taking pride in mocking a little girl? Jesus.
posted by languagehat at 10:21 AM on November 8, 2006


Santorum was a baldfaced liar? I can't stand the guy or his politics, but I don't recall that.

So, logically, the tears were naturally procured due to the circumstances and her vast grasp on the electoral process and the issues at hand. Right?

I don't understan what you're saying, sorry.
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 10:24 AM on November 8, 2006


Note to Katherine Harris: praying is wishing.
posted by action man bow-tie at 10:32 AM on November 8, 2006


Are you seriously not only defending but taking pride in mocking a little girl?

No, I am not defending those actions. I am also not taking pride in them, due to the fact that I have not participated in said behavior.

What I was referring to was the attitude that this gaffe somehow equates our standards of discussion to that of LGF. I find that proposition ridiculous, and I also find the need to reinforce this stance particularly hilarious. Who has the time to chide someone for jeering at the tears of Rick "Man On Dog Sex" Santorums' Child? Who fucking cares?

Not me. Think of that what you will.
posted by prostyle at 11:07 AM on November 8, 2006


Santorum was a baldfaced liar? I can't stand the guy or his politics, but I don't recall that.


Pretending to keep a house in PA & using PA funds to foot the bill for his kids's education in Leesburg, VA. Their actual full-time residence. Factcheck.org citation.
posted by desuetude at 11:09 AM on November 8, 2006


I hadn't heard about the Santorum brood education thing. It actually fails to rile me up at all, but whatever. I wonder if the internet charter school is legit or just a repository for state funds...

Sounds like he lied about meetings with lobbiests, too.
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 11:43 AM on November 8, 2006


Good riddance to Santorum. He was a menace and an embarrassment. But it’s embarrassing to me that some apparent liberals here are picking on Santorum's school-age children. For crying? I thought only Rush Limbaugh was despicable enough for cheap tactics like that.
posted by applemeat at 12:06 PM on November 8, 2006


Prostyle, it's called having a little class. Santorum is an ass, but his kids, well, they're just kids.
posted by theinsectsarewaiting at 12:29 PM on November 8, 2006


Try to think of them as "Asses in Training".
posted by hermitosis at 2:19 PM on November 8, 2006


Or perhaps merely "on deck".
posted by hermitosis at 2:20 PM on November 8, 2006


Mocking a kid is just about as offensive to me as Santorum using them, repeatedly, as political props.

That said, I though Ford's speech was nicely done. He'll be back for sure.
posted by bardic at 2:26 PM on November 8, 2006


I can't wait to get home from work so I can see the Harris speech. She really brings the crazy.
posted by contessa at 2:42 PM on November 8, 2006


God knows what he told his kids. If it's anything like the stuff he tried to tell those of us who live in PA, it's no wonder they're upset. He probably told them that he was trying to keep them safe from terrorists, but unfortunately, the terrorists won the election.

I can't access the concession speeches through CNN. Did anyone else have their whole family inc. little kids with them? Common for victory speeches, sure, but concession speeches?
posted by desuetude at 3:14 PM on November 8, 2006


I agree that while Santorum is a valid target for mockery and scorn, his kids are not. They'll need to be strong to survive their upbringing.

If I could make a wish for them, it would be to do with rebellion, hair dye, tattoos, and rock stardom.
posted by Pallas Athena at 3:41 PM on November 8, 2006


I reserve the right to mock any family that looks like a bunch of creepy poligamists, children and all.

What's next, we're not allowed to say that pictures of V look creepy as hell?
posted by Artw at 4:14 PM on November 8, 2006


V = JonBenet Ramsey.

(astute followers of messageboard posting screwups may conclude that I googled the correct spelling and attempted to cut and paste it)
posted by Artw at 4:15 PM on November 8, 2006


Given that the name Santorum has been re appropriated as an offensive slang word, I hope these kids get into a rebellion phase, start a Goth-Metal band, and call it Santorum.
posted by sourwookie at 5:04 PM on November 8, 2006


Couldn't get a look at the picture due to high bandwidth, but I saw it earlier and it's burned into my memory.

Pure American Gothic, updated, 21st century Republican political version. Or if John Currin painted American political subjects instead of the apolitical rich and useless. That level of satire.
posted by bad grammar at 5:36 PM on November 8, 2006


Yeah, I was pretty impressed by Santorum's speech. I wish he wasn't such an evil guy.
posted by OmieWise at 8:20 AM on November 9, 2006


Wy's Senator, R - Craig Thomas, was just diagnosed with leukemia. I don't wish him ill, but if he ends up leaving the state's Democrat Governor would appoint a successor, the "balance of power" could swing even more.

*note - as of now Thomas says he is returning to Washington and will not step down.
posted by edgeways at 12:39 PM on November 9, 2006


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