'I see a great day coming for our country'

To the victor goes the spoils of war -- and to George W Bush, victor in the 2004 Presidential election, comes the gift of a deeply fractured country.

He addressed this issue in his acceptance speech, shortly after 3 pm ET at the Reagan building down the road from the White House, when he said, "With good allies at our side we will fight the war on terror with every resource of our national power so our children can live in freedom and in peace. These goals require the broad support of all Americans. I want to speak to every person who voted for my opponent -- to make this nation stronger, I need your support and I will work to earn it, and I will do all I can do to merit your trust."

The words echoed the 'uniter, not a divider' acceptance speech of four years ago.

At the outset, Bush was gracious towards his defeated adversary. "Earlier today, Senator Kerry called with his congratulations. It was a good talk, he was very gracious. Senator Kerry waged a spirited campaign and he and his supporters can be proud of their efforts. Laura and I wish Senator Kerry and his wife Teresa and all their family our very best wishes."

In a low-toned speech that went out of its way to avoid the merest suspicion of 'gloat', Bush thanked his wife, his daughters "who joined their dad for his last campaign", his sister and brothers, and his parents "for their loving support."

He paid tribute to his Vice-President Dick Cheney and his family, who he said "worked so hard and have been such a vital part of our team."

He thanked his campaign team, and significantly, singled out the man known in political circles as Bush's brain, when he said "the architect (of the victory) Karl Rove."

Staying on message -- which was clearly one of mellow acceptance of the national mandate and a sober understanding of what lay ahead, Bush said "There is a saying that you do not pray for tasks equal to your powers, you pray instead for powers that are equal to your tasks.

"America has been given great tasks, and faced them with strength and with courage. We have restored the vigor of our economy, shown resolve and patience in a new kind of war. Our military has brought the enemy to justice and honor to America."

"I am proud to lead such an amazing country, and I am proud to lead it forward. Because we had done hard work, we are now entering a season of hope," Bush said, before swiftly itemising his priorities: tax code reform, the reform of Social Security for the next generation (decoded: privatisation), reform of the school system, helping "the emerging democracies of Iraq and Afghanistan so they can grow in strength and defend their freedom, and then our service men and women will come home with the honour they have earned."

It was a quiet speech, sans flourishes and gee whiz quotes. It was a speech with a strange undercurrent of weariness, a feeling that came to the fore when he addressed his closing remarks to the people of his home state of Texas. "I am grateful to the good people of my state, and whatever road lies ahead, that road will take me home," Bush said, towards the close of a speech he ended on an optimistic note: "The campaign has ended and the United States of America goes forward with confidence and faith. I see a great day coming for our country, and I am eager for the work ahead."

Cheney -- like Edwards before him -- did not bother with by-rote ex-pressions of graciousness towards the opposition; rather, he threw red meat to the party faithful when he expounded on the dimensions of the victory -- with more than a hint of ego showing through.

"It was a historic election, and once again I have delivered the state of Wyoming for the Bush-Cheney ticket," he said, almost at the outset.

"We worked hard and the result is clear – a record turnout and a broad nationwide victory."

"Thanks to you," he told cheering supporters, "we have gained seats in the House of Representatives; thanks to you, I will be presiding over a larger majority in the Senate, thanks to you President Bush won the largest number of popular votes of any Presidential candidate in US history."

And then, just before handing over to the President, Cheney delivered a line the implications of which could resonate over the next four years: "We did more than campaign on our record," Cheney said. "President Bush ran on a clear vision for this nation's future, and this nation responded by giving him a mandate."

Stripped to its essence, the message is clear: The policies -- on tax cuts, on social security, on medicare, on foreign policy with its central doctrine of pre-emptive intervention, and much else, that had deeply fractured the nation and sparked one of the most bitter presidential contests in the nation's history -- are now anointed with the seal of public approval; the message for the future is 'more of the same.'