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There is a long tradition of US presidential candidates delivering a concession speech when they lose an election. A concession speech gives the losing candidate a chance to publicly acknowledge their loss and offer congratulations to the winner. Hearing a concession speech helps all Americans, including the candidate’s supporters, accept the newly-elected leader and feel reassured that a peaceful transfer of power will occur. This year, President Trump has refused to concede, breaking with long tradition. Listen to hear parts of presidential concession speeches from the past few decades, and learn why one candidate conceded the election twice.
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November 10, 2020
5:00
President Trump and many of his supporters refuse to accept the results of a close 2020 election, in which Joe Biden won more than the 270 electoral votes required to become the next president. Trump and his backers continue to claim fraud, though there is no evidence to support those claims. They distrust the media, who called the race for Biden based on official vote counts from each state. They also express concerns about the security of mail-in voting, but there is no evidence of wrongdoing. Listen to hear how some Trump supporters are feeling in the wake of a deeply divisive election.
Read MoreNovember 9, 2020
5:33
After a long week of vote counting in a tight race, Joe Biden has been elected 46th president of the United States. Biden has run for president several times, starting in 1987, and has served as U.S. Senator and Vice President under President Barack Obama. Biden has suffered many significant losses, both personal and professional, throughout his life, but he says he has never lost faith in the American people. Listen to hear about his journey to the presidency and how his victory speech to a divided country addressed themes of unity and optimism amid challenging times for the nation.
Read MoreOctober 24, 2017
3:54
For the first time in 38 years, Angola has a new president. José Eduardo dos Santos had ruled Angola since 1979, soon after its independence from Portugal in 1975. He handpicked his successor, João Lourenço, who was the former Defence Minister. Lourenço won the presidential election and faces the challenge of bringing change to the country. Half of Angola’s citizens live in poverty and the hope is that Lourenço will fight corruption in the country. Listen to hear more about this peaceful transition of power.
Read MoreJanuary 19, 2017
4:14
Donald J. Trump will be sworn into office as the 45th President of the United States. Inauguration day always occurs on January 20th following the presidential election. In recent history, at the start of every American presidency, the new president gives an inaugural address after being sworn into office. These speeches have sometimes become memorable tag lines for the president's priorities. This story is an historical reflection on several past inaugural addresses.
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