At 4 a.m. Tony Blair called Bush. The British Prime Minister had gone to sleep thinking Bush had lost because the British press had not been shy about posting the exit polls. So when he woke up, he was delighted to hear his friend had won and called Bush. They talked for ten minutes. Bush took the call in the Old Family Dining Room where he'd been coming to look over Karl Rove's shoulder as his political brain analyzed the results. Indeed, the dining room had been turned into a War Room, reports Rove, who said that "we had computers and phones in there and would periodically yell and scream."

Vice President Dick Cheney had come over Tuesday night late, when the White House had expected to make an announcement. Cheney went back to his office where he was going to sleep, but ended up watching the coverage. The President was exhausted Wednesday and "wearing his emotions sleeve" — a Bushism for tearing up.

Later that morning, though, the looming threat of a legal challenge was gone as John Kerry called to concede. Midmorning, when Communications Director Dan Bartlett arrived in the Oval Office the president was there with his father, 41, talking to Campaign Chairman Ken Mehlman about the lay of the land in Ohio. They started talking about the rumors that Kerry might be dropping out. "Then we just spent some time stewing around waiting for the call," says Bartlett.

Kerry eventually called President Bush in the Oval Office shortly after 11 a.m. to concede the race. Chief political adviser Karl Rove, Press Secretary Scott McClellan, Communications Director Dan Bartlett, Chief Speechwriter Mike Gerson, and adviser Karen Hughes were present as Bush took the call. "It was emotional, quiet, and he was a gracious," Rove told TIME. Kerry called to say "Congratulations, Mr. President." Bush, for his part, called Kerry "an admirable and worthy opponent" who had run a "tough campaign," adding that "I hope you are proud of your effort that you put in. You should be." Kerry told Bush that he needed to help bring a divided country together and Bush agreed. Bush turned to the staff and there were hugs all around. The president said: "We won, team." They were joined by Andy Card and they all walked through the West Wing to go congratulate the Vice President. Cheney for his part had been in the Situation Room, and the Bush entourage and Cheney met by the elevator. The president said, "Congratulations" to Cheney and added, jokingly "I know, Dick, you're not a guy for hugs."

After that Bush told everyone to get back to work. As for Bush, he'd slept fitfully for a couple of hours after having stayed up to see Andy Card's we-won announcement a few minutes before 6 a.m. Bush had napped earlier in the day after his return to the White House from an exhausting campaign schedule. Throughout the night, he had been in and out of the war room in the family dining room on the first floor, furiously making calls.

Bush decided not to go out last night and speak to the crowd, figuring it didn't make a big difference if he waited a day and out of empathy for Kerry. "He knows what it's like to lose a presidential election," said Rove, referring to the pain he felt when his father lost his reelection bid in 1992. "He knows how hard it is." Now, he also knows the joy his father never knew.

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