November 09, 2016
Courtesy/City of Philadelphia
From his City Hall office, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney watches presidential candidate Hillary Clinton deliver her concession speech on television Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016.
Following a decisive victory for the Republican party, in the presidential election as well as for control of both houses of Congress, Mayor Jim Kenney addressed the city to reinforce Hillary Clinton's campaign message of being "stronger together."
"We are stronger together because no one will break us apart," the mayor said Wednesday, during a short press conference held before Clinton's morning concession speech.
Kenney highlighted that Philadelphia residents turned out to vote on Election Day "more so than any time in recent history," and while the President-elect Donald Trump won Pennsylvania's electoral votes, the Republican presidential candidate did not win the vote here in Philadelphia, the mayor noted.
"While the election's outcome was not one that the majority of Philadelphians chose, our voice was still heard across the nation and the Commonwealth, and we now have the opportunity to be leaders in the healing of our country," Kenney said.
He did not take questions from the press following the speech.
In Philadelphia, 82-percent of voters cast ballots for Clinton. When a candidate supported by the overwhelming majority of city residents loses, it's easy for people to focus on the differences between the parties.
Kenney said that "is not the American way, and it is certainly not the Philadelphia way."
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney addresses the press on Wednesday, Nov. 9, following the election of President-elect Donald Trump.
"We gave birth to this country and our inclusion has always made us stronger, and we will continue to rely on that strength as we work to find unity," Kenney said.
Kenney reminded residents that Tuesday's election "will never change who we are as a city," and said the same cooperative spirit that brought Philadelphians together behind Clinton will help the city move forward in the coming days.
"We will move forward as one group of citizens," Kenney said. "Don't let yesterday, today or the next couple days, drag you down. We will lift ourselves up, dust ourselves off and move forward."
Following Kenney's comments, Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell, D-3rd District, said local Democrats and supporters are going through a "grieving process" right now, but she hoped the president-elect was sincere the inclusive remarks he made during his victory speech delivered early Wednesday morning.
"He was positive, he was nice, he was inclusive," Blackwell said of Trump's speech.
Philadelphia and Pennsylvania still retain a "strong mayor and a strong governor," and she hoped Trump can put negativity he displayed during the election process aside moving forward.
