2004 Nominee Kerry Congratulates Obama

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), the 2004 Democratic nominee for president, congratulated President-elect Barack Obama for winning the White House, a task Kerry could not achieve in 2004.

“Tonight we elected a President who has inspired a majority of Americans with his vision and policies, a man who is principally a leader for these times who happens to also be African American,” Kerry said in a statement. “Barack Obama will be President during the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights movement and the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.”

Though Kerry may not have been running for reelection tonight as president, he did have cause for his own celebration: we easily won another term in the Senate from Massachusetts tonight.

“Tonight new dreams are born and old truths are affirmed,” Kerry said. “Tonight we enter a new America, the best America, the America of our highest hopes.”

–Michael O’Brien