Schumer congratulates Trump and casts doubt on stolen election claims

Outgoing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) went to the Senate on Tuesday and offered the president-elect Donald Trump a congratulatory message and said he hopes the stolen election fantasy can finally be put to rest.

“We need to look at what we’ve done right and continue to pursue those goals,” Schumer said in his speech, adding that Democrats also need to “understand the things we’ve done wrong and how we need to change.”
“We must be honest, we must be practical and we must never abandon the roots that have defined the Democratic Party for generations,” he continued.

“To feel deep disappointment, sadness and even anger at this moment. I understand those feelings. It never feels good to come up short. But when you do, you get up. You dust yourself off. You learn and prepare to do better in the future,” Schumer said saidpromising that the election would be studied and Democrats would learn the lessons.

“To the Democrats who were still around in 2004. Do you remember the sadness we felt then? It was certainly a tough election. But what happened next? We got back to work on regaining the trust of the American people. I was proud to be part of that process as chairman of the DSCC. And just two years later the tide turned dramatically,” he continued, adding:

Finally, before I turn to the Senate, let me say this. I hope that after last week we can abandon the fantasy of stolen elections and rigged outcomes. Four years ago, the losing side refused to accept the will of the people, sparking a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. This year we won’t be going so dark and violent path. Let me now turn to the Senate. Last Tuesday brought a mix of success and disappointment for Senate Democrats. Ultimately, we had hoped for a better result. As happens from time to time, control of this chamber will change from one party to another. To Senator Brown and Senator Tester, we couldn’t be more proud of the races you’ve run.

Watch the full speech above.

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