News

Hillary Clinton Would Accept The Election Results

by Lauren Barbato

The 2016 election cycle has presented true political theater and its final act is perhaps the most dramatic one yet. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump are engaged in a heated race that's shaping up to be more contested than predicted. Clinton and Trump have been battling it out in states such as Florida, North Carolina, Virginia and Michigan since the polls closed on Election Night, and it's likely Trump will seize the presidency. But will Clinton concede if Trump wins?

A lot has been made about Trump's concession — or possible lack of a concession. At the third presidential debate, Trump admitted that he doesn't plan on conceding peacefully if he loses to Clinton. "I will tell you at the time," Trump said in October. "I'll keep you in suspense."

Even on Election Day, Trump still wouldn't say he would concede to Clinton. During a radio interview on Tuesday morning, Trump said he "wants to see what happens" before making a concession speech, CNN reported.

But will Clinton concede to Trump if he defeats her Tuesday night? Clinton hasn't made any recent statements about conceding or not conceding to Trump on Election Night. However, she did tweet on Tuesday night, not long after the polls closed on the East Coast: "Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything."

As of this writing, Trump was leading Clinton in both the popular vote and the Electoral College, according to the Associated Press. Considering the nail-biting returns coming in from swing states from New Hampshire to Michigan, it's possible that Clinton will be calling Trump in the early hours of Wednesday morning with a concession speech.

Although the Clinton campaign has stayed quiet Tuesday night, Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Tim Kaine tweeted a surprisingly uplifting picture hinting that the Clinton campaign was still hopeful about placing the first woman in the Oval Office. "No little girl will ever again have to wonder whether she, too, can be president," Kaine tweeted.

Whatever happens in the early hours of Wednesday morning, Clinton will be able to handle it with grace and class. Although she hasn't said how she will concede, it will assuredly be more peaceful than any Trump concession.