VIDEO: Watch President Obama and Gov. Romney’s Election Night Speeches
The outcome of the 2012 presidential election may have been decided Tuesday night, but it wasn't until the wee hours of Wednesday morning that Gov. Mitt Romney and re-elected President Barack Obama spoke to their supporters at their respective campaign headquarters.
Romney called Obama to officially concede the race shortly before 1 a.m./ET, and took the stage in Boston right after doing so to briefly address his supporters. In the speech, Romney thanked his wife Ann, their sons, his running mate Paul Ryan, and other campaign officials, and pledged to work with President Obama to move the country forward. "The nation, as you know, is at a critical point. At a time like this, we can't risk partisan bickering and political posturing. Our leaders have to reach across the aisle to do the people's work. And we citizens also have to rise to the occasion."
Barack Obama re-elected as president of the United States
"I so wish that I had been able to fulfill your hopes to lead the country in a different direction," Romney told the crowd. "But the nation chose another leader. And so Ann and I join with you to earnestly pray for him and for this great nation."
President Obama addressed the nation after Romney, taking the stage in Chicago at about 1:35 a.m./ET. He echoed Romney's theme of uniting the country to make it stronger, and also thanked his wife Michelle, their daughters, and Vice President Joe Biden.
"I just spoke with Gov. Romney and I congratulated him and Paul Ryan on a hard-fought campaign. We may have battled fiercely, but it's only because we love this country deeply and we care so strongly about its future," he said. "In the weeks ahead, I also look forward to sitting down with Gov. Romney to talk about where we can work together to move this country forward."
Watch video of the two speeches below:
Gov. Romney's concession speech:
President Obama's victory speech:
