Bush: We can beat terrorism together

After declaring election victory over Democratic Senator John Kerry, Mr Bush said he was "humbled by the trust and confidence" of his fellow citizens.

He renewed his commitment to the war in Iraq, an issue which has sharply divided the nation.

And he promised to fight terrorism "with every resource of our national power".

But he also had a message for those who had voted against him.

He said: "To make this nation stronger and better, I will need your support and I will work to earn it.

"I will do all I can do to deserve your trust. A new term is a new opportunity to reach out to the whole nation.

"We are one country, one constitution and one future that binds us, and when we come together and work together, there is no limit to the greatness of America."

Massachusetts Senator Kerry conceded after accepting that he had lost in Ohio, the battleground state where the outcome of the race was decided.

Mr Bush, who won the popular vote by 51 per cent to 48 per cent, was introduced on stage at the Reagan centre in Washington by vice- president Dick Cheney, who said Bush had a mandate for a second term.

As Mr Bush spoke, he was joined on stage by his wife, Laura, and twin daughters Barbara and Jenna.

He said: "America has spoken and I am humbled by the trust and confidence of my fellow citizens."

He said he had a "duty to serve all Americans and I will do my best to fulfil that duty every day as your president".

He said the campaign waged by Senator Kerry had been spirited and said the Democrat's supporters could be proud.

He described Mr Kerry's concession telephone call as gracious.

Mr Bush now faces four more years in the White House with a nation sharply divided over Iraq, with a large budget deficit and a desperate need for more jobs.

But he said the country was entering a season of hope, adding: "I am eager for the work ahead."

Shortly before Mr Bush spoke, Senator Kerry called on Americans to unite and warned of the "dangers of division" in a time of war and terrorist threat.

Accepting defeat in Ohio, despite a close vote, he said: "The outcome should be decided by voters, not a protracted legal process."

With a hoarse voice, which cracked with emotion, he told supporters: "I would not give up this fight if there was a chance that we would prevail. I wish -you do not know how much -I could have brought this race home to you."

He said: "Earlier today, I spoke to President Bush and offered him and Laura our congratulations.

"We talked about the danger of division in our country and the need, the desperate need, for unity, for finding common ground for coming together."

He went on: "America is in need of unity and longing for a larger measure of compassion. I hope President Bush will advance these values in the coming years.

"Now, more than ever, with our soldiers in harm's way, we must stand together to succeed in Iraq and win the war on terror."

Mr Bush told Senator Kerry that he was an admirable and worthy opponent. He said: "I hope you are proud of the effort you put in, you should be."

For several hours, the outcome of the election had looked uncertain and there were fears of a fiasco, such as that seen in 2000, when the result in Florida was disputed for 36 days.

With all precincts in Ohio reporting, Mr Bush had 2,794,346 to Mr Kerry's 2,658,125 -a difference of more than 136,000.

The Kerry campaign initially insisted that 250,000 uncounted provisional ballots could still deliver the state for the Democrats.

Prime Minister Tony Blair last night said he had spoken to Mr Bush and congratulated him on his victory.

He said: "President Bush's re-election comes at a critical time.

"A world that is fractured, divided and uncertain must be brought together to fight this global terrorism in all its forms, and to recognise it will not be defeated by military might alone, but also by demonstrating the strength of our common values, by bringing freedom and democracy to Iraq, by pursuing, with the same energy, peace in the Middle East between Israel and Palestine, by accepting it is our duty to combat poverty and injustice on the continent of Africa and elsewhere.

"In particular, I have long argued that the need to revitalise the Middle East peace process is the single most pressing political challenge in our world today."