"I offer my concession," Gore said in a nationally televised speech. "I say to President-elect Bush that what remains of partisan rancor must now be put aside, and may God bless his stewardship of this country."
He sniped at the U.S. Supreme Court decision Tuesday night that doomed his weeks-long refusal to admit his defeat.
"Let there be no doubt, while I strongly disagree with the court's decision, I accept it. I accept the finality of this outcome which will be ratified next Monday in the Electoral College.
He offered to meet with Bush and help heal the wounds his long refusal to concede has caused the nation.
"As to what I'll do next, I don't know the answer to that one yet." He said he would spend time mending fences in his home state, Tennessee, which humiliated him and cost him the White House by voting for Bush.
Gore said he regretted that he "didn't get the chance to stay and fight for the American people over the next four years, especially for those who need burdens lifted and barriers removed, especially for those who feel their voices have not been heard."
"It's time for me to go," Gore said toward the end of his brief speech.
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