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Today, 08 November 2009

› Malema’s life in danger

› Bok player ratings

› Hofmeyr addresses Joost

› Major airport work done

› Bok captain heading home

Yesterday, 07 November 2009

› Malema’s life in danger

› Leicester sting Bok Bs

› Eskom chair faces the axe

› Nedbank, ANCYL make up

› Hofmeyr addresses Joost

President George W. Bush won a decisive re-election and will declare victory personally on Wednesday over Democratic rival John Kerry, said White House chief of staff Andy Card.

Kerry has refused to concede defeat but Card said: "President Bush decided to give Senator Kerry the respect of more time to reflect on the results of this election. The president will be making a statement later today."

Speaking to Republican faithful at what had been planned as a victory party, Card dismissed Kerry's move to contest results in vote-rich Ohio, insisting Bush had carried the state by a "statistically insurmountable" margin.

Kerry pinned hopes on provisional ballots

The Democratic senator pinned his hopes on what his campaign estimates at more than 200 000 uncounted provisional ballots in Ohio, where Bush leads by about 136 000 votes.

Card noted that Bush led his rival by some 3.6-million votes nationwide.

Four years ago, Bush lost the popular vote by a half-million ballots and only won after a bitter 36-day recount battle over Florida that gave him the edge in the Electoral College which decides the presidency.

Card said Bush would emerge the winner in Iowa and New Mexico, where ballot counting has been frozen due to technical glitches, adding up to 286 votes in the electoral college — 16 more than are needed to win.

'Convinced Bush has won' - Card

"We are convinced that President Bush has won re-election," Card said about an hour after the president had gone to bed, ending a tense day that stretched from 7.30 am (1130 GMT) on Tuesday to just after 5am (1000 GMT) on Wednesday.

The incumbent was in a strong position, enjoying a 254-242 edge over Kerry in the electoral college without Iowa, New Mexico, or Ohio.

The president had appeared tense and tired after voting in Texas, but surrounded by family at the White House, his mood later brightened as he watched prospects for a second four-year term turn in his favour.

"I believe I will win, thank you very much. I feel good about it," he said during a brief public appearance. "I'm glad to be able to watch the returns here with my family and friends. And it's going to be an exciting evening."

AFP