Insiders Say Clinton Only Conceded After Obama Called

Hillary Clinton didn't concede the election until after a late-night phone call from President Obama, according to a new book on the historic defeat. The Hill reports that authors Amie Parnes and Jonathan Allen say sources told them Obama called Clinton as results came in from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, and told her: "You have to concede." The sources say that in Clinton's Manhattan hotel room, some aides thought there was still hope and urged her to wait as long as possible, but the atmosphere changed after Obama's call.

"There was a lot of discussion about Michigan and Wisconsin and whether the numbers could flip it," one source says, adding that the swing state races were so tight that Clinton might not have conceded that night without the call from Obama. "If anybody knew what actually happened that night, no one would have conceded," the source says. The insiders say that Obama called after campaign chief John Podesta has been sent to tell supporters Clinton would not be speaking that night. She decided to call Trump and concede before Podesta returned, according to the sources, who say she told aides: "Just give me the phone. I'm calling him." (There is going to be a recount in Wisconsin.)