Former President Bush congratulates President-elect Biden, says outcome is clear

[November 09, 2020]    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former U.S. President George W. Bush, a Republican, said on Sunday he has spoken to President-elect Joe Biden, a Democrat, to congratulate him on his victory.

Former U.S. President George W. Bush speaks during the funeral of late U.S. Congressman John Lewis, a pioneer of the civil rights movement and long-time member of the U.S. House of Representatives who died July 17, at Ebeneezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. July 30, 2020. Alyssa Pointer/Pool via REUTERS.

In a statement, Bush said Americans can have confidence the U.S. election was "fundamentally fair, its integrity will be upheld, and its outcome is clear."

He added President Donald Trump has the right to request recounts and pursue legal challenges.

(Reporting by Susan Cornwell; Editing by Sandra Maler)

[© 2020 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2020 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.