Clinton Concedes: "This Is Painful And It Will Be For A Long Time"
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Hillary Clinton said it was painful and disappointing to lose the 2016 race for president to Donald Trump, but she said "we owe him an open mind and the chance to lead" as he prepares to take office in January.
"This is not the outcome we wanted, or we worked so hard for, and I'm sorry that we did not win this election for the values we share and the vision we hold for our country," she said in New York on Wednesday. "This is painful, and it will be for a long time, but I want you to remember this: our campaign was never about one person, or even one election. It was about the country we love, and about building an America that's hopeful, inclusive, and big-hearted."
Clinton said she spoke to Trump to congratulate him on his victory, and offered to work with him on behalf of the nation.
"I hope that he will be a successful president for all Americans," she said. "Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead."
After an especially divisive campaign, Clinton sounded a note of optimism.
"We have seen that our nation is more deeply divided than we thought, but I still believe in America, and I always will, and if you do then we must accept this result, and then look to the future," she said.
Clinton also made a special point to thank the women who supported her bid to become the nation's first female president -- in particular the young women who saw her as a role model.
"Nothing has made me prouder than to be your champion," she said. "I know we have still not shattered that highest and hardest glass ceiling, but some day someone will, and hopefully sooner than we might think right now. And to all the little girls who are watching this, never doubt that you are valuable, and powerful, and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams."
