Our wealth can be transferred from the destruction of war abroad to the urgent needs of our people at home.
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Following his loss to Ronald Reagan in the 1980 presidential election, President Jimmy Carter delivered his concession speech in Washington, D.C.
The splendid president of these United States. I promise you.
I promised you four years ago.
That I would never lie to you, so I can't stand here tonight and say it doesn't hurt.
The people of the United States have made their choice, and of course I accept that decision,
but i have to admit not with the same enthusiasm that i accepted the decision four years ago i might say i have a deep appreciation of the system that lets people make the free choice about who will lead them for the next four years.
About an hour ago, I called Governor Reagan in California, and I told him that I congratulated him for a fine victory.
I look forward to working closely with him during the next few weeks.
We'll have a very fine transition period.
I told him I wanted the best one in history, and I then sent him this telegram, and I'll read it to you.
It's now apparent that the American people have chosen you as their next president.
I congratulate you and pledge to you our fullest support and cooperation in bringing about an orderly transition of government in the weeks ahead.
My best wishes are with you and your family as you undertake the responsibilities that lie before you, and I signed it, Jimmy Carter.
Ever have to help shape the destiny of this nation.
In that effort, I've had your faithful support.
In some ways, I've been the most fortunate of all presidents because I've had the daily aid of a wise man and a good man at my side.
At my side, in my judgment, the best vice president anybody ever has.
In my judgment, the best vice president anybody ever had.
I've not achieved all I set out to do.
Perhaps no one ever does.
But we have faced the tough issues.
We've stood for and we've fought for and we have achieved some very important goals for our country.
These efforts will not end with this administration.
The effort must go on.
Nor will the progress that we have made be lost when we leave office.
The great principles that have guided this nation since its very founding will continue to guide America through the challenges of the future.
This has been a long and hard -fought campaign, as you well know.
But we must now come together as a united and a unified people to solve the problems that are still before us, to meet the challenges of a new decade.
And I urge all of you to join in with me in a sincere and fruitful effort to support my successor when he undertakes this great responsibility as president of the greatest nation on earth.
Ours is a special country because our vast economic and military strength give us a special responsibility for seeking solutions to the problems that confront the world.
But our influence will always be greater when we live up to those principles of freedom, of justice, of human rights for all people.
God has been good to me and God has been good to this country and I'm truly thankful.
I'm thankful for having been able to serve you in this capacity.
Thankful for the successes that we have had.
Thankful that to the end you were with me and every good thing that I tried to do.
There's an old Yiddish proverb that I've often thought of in the days and months that I've held this office.
It says simply, "God gives burdens also shoulders." In all the days and months when I have served you and served this country, you've readily given me your shoulders, your faith, and your prayers.
No man could ask any more of his friends.
I've wanted to serve as president because I love this country and because I love the people of this nation.
Finally, let me say that I am disappointed tonight, but I have not lost either love.
Thank you very much.
2024 was a momentous year for C-SPAN.
From continuing our decades -old tradition of providing gavel -to -gavel coverage of the House and Senate, conferences, to landmark Supreme Court cases, and to a historic presidential election, including both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions.
Here's a look back on the year as we prepare for what's expected to be an action-packed 2025.
What kind of crack do you normally smoke, Mr. Biden?
Let me start again.
My name is Jason DeFord, but to most I am known as Jelly Roll.
My name is Brett Favre.
I appreciate the opportunity to be here.
My name is Michael Phelps.
My name is Sho Chiu, and I am the CEO of TikTok.
Have you apologized to the victims?
No.
Would you like to do so now?
They're here, you're on national television.
Would you like now to apologize to the victims?
Tonight, all eyes are on Iowa.
I am today suspending my campaign.
The New Hampshire primary.
But the time has now come to suspend my campaign.
The events were shameful, criminal, violent, all of those things, but did not qualify as insurrection.
This will be my last term as Republican leader of the Senate.
Isn't how old we are?
It's how old our ID is.
It's one of the reasons why this program is so valuable, because it does bring people together.
Without presidential immunity from criminal prosecution, there can be no presidency as we know it.
The Republican -led House will not be jammed or forced into passing a foreign aid bill.
I think providing lethal aid to Ukraine right now is critically important.
On this vote, the ayes are 311 and the nays are 112.
The bill is passed.
Declaring the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives to be vacant.
The yeas are 359, the nays are 43, with seven answering present.
Hopefully this is the end of the personality politics.
Tonight, this event is being televised live on C -SPAN.
For the next 90 minutes, we are going to be live from a brand new exhibition.
Welcome to the National Book Festival.
What's so great about C-SPAN is that you hit every side.
This was a rigged, disgraceful trial.
The real verdict is going to be November 5th.
We'd be well served to remember the long and cherished tradition we have in this country of settling our political differences at the ballot box.
Today's decision almost certainly means that there are virtually no limits on what a president can do.
Look, if we finally beat Medicare.
It was a bad night.
They're trying to push me out on the race.
I'm staying in the race!
Take a look at what happened.
I want to speak to you tonight about the need for us to lower the temperature in our politics.
The most significant operational failure of the Secret Service in decades.
I proudly accept your nomination for President of the United States.
I've decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation.
Just over a hundred days before an election, Democrat party bosses forced Joe Biden off the ballot.
There's the right to protest.
But not the right to cause chaos.
No place in America for anti -Semitism.
Give us the tools faster, and we'll finish the job faster.
We are here tonight to officially...
And you know what that...
A C-SPAN don't play.
Wait a minute, I'm talking now.
If you don't mind, please.
Does that sound familiar?
She went out, never touched by a human hand.
Certainly falls into the general definition of fascist.
That's a good looking group.
Hello everybody.
There's literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now.
Yeah.
I think it's called Puerto Rico.
Thanks for being with us on election night.
Look what happened.
This will truly be the golden age of America.
The outcome of this election is not what we wanted.
House Democrats have fallen a few seats short.
We are going to raise an America First banner above this place.
The American people have spoken.
It's a new day in the United States Senate, and it's a new day in America.
Politics is tough, and it's, in many cases, not a very nice world, but it is a nice world today, and I appreciate it very much.
A transition that's so smooth, it'll be as smooth as it can get, and I very much appreciate that, Jim.
You're welcome.
Thank you all.
President Jimmy Carter spoke about the 1980 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and condemned the actions as a threat to world peace.