Though the crowd of thousands had thinned, one middle-aged woman pushed toward the stage where McCain addressed his supporters, tears streaming down her face.
McCain was long since gone after delivering a congratulatory speech to newly elected Barack Obama.
The woman had not yet said goodbye to the idea of McCain serving as the nation’s president.
She carried a small dog, adorned in a red “McCain Victory 2008” sweater, as she marched slowly toward the place where McCain had stood.
“It’s not over,” she cried, shaking her head through her tears. “It can’t be over.”
As the crowd behind her retreated in the opposite direction, she stood still, clutching a metal railing, and sobbed.
After hearing McCain concede, his supporters appeared both somber and angry.
A crowd earlier united in a battle of pushing and shoving for one goal, to see McCain speak, moved quietly toward the exits.
McCain stood with running mate Sarah Palin and wife Cindy McCain to give his concession speech.
“This failure is mine, not yours,” he said.
The crowd shouted “No!” and booed in response.
Yelps escaped from those watching: “You’re our hero!” “They cheated!” and “2012!” supporters shouted.
Though McCain would go on to win 10 electoral votes from his home state, a large number of disappointed McCain advocates walked out on the speech leaving a more passionate horde behind.
McCain continued on, congratulating Barack Obama, who will become the United States’ 44th president.
“We fought as hard as we could,” he said.
Political science senior Matt Wharton, president of the College Republicans at the West campus, said the loss has left him scared.
“We were overpowered by the biased media,” he said, citing statistics about Obama receiving a greater portion of mainstream media coverage.
“We have got to work harder,” Wharton said, speaking of the Republican party. “We have done great things already, but we have got to do more.”
Nursing senior Ruth Olar said the loss might be because citizens are unable to separate the Bush presidency from McCain’s campaign.
“It’s sad to see America still bitter,” she said, referring to Bush’s eight-year term. “McCain was the candidate who represented what our Founding Fathers started this country for.”
Phoenix resident Nate Moyer, 26, said McCain’s loss is negative history for Republicans but still an important moment for the country.
“It’s time to hit the reset button and change the face of this party,” he said.
Moyer said he believes Obama’s more youth-oriented campaign was a strength McCain lacked.
“I don’t know as many young people backing McCain as I do Obama,” he said.
In his speech, a stoic McCain repeatedly stressed that he did not believe America had failed him.
“Today, I was a candidate for the highest office in the country I love so much, and tonight, I remain her servant,” he said. “Americans never quit, never surrender, never hide from history. We make history.”
McCain commended Palin for her tireless dedication through the “rough and tumble,” stating that her home state of Alaska has a lot to look forward to in her leadership.
Shouts of “Palin in 2012” erupted from the crowd as Palin stood silently at McCain’s side.
McCain’s supporters echoed approval when he said he won’t look back after the campaign he called the great honor of his life.
“I won’t spend a moment of the future regretting what might have been,” McCain said.
Reach the reporter at tessa.muggeridge@asu.edu
