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As the election fervor fades and news agencies flood you with the “what it means” stories, I thought I’d hand out my own best and worst speech awards from last night’s victory/concession speeches. Some of the most heartening moments in politics come at the end of the game, so to speak, when the campaigning is over and the victors and losers speak to their supporters and reach out to the other side. After all the negative ads, spirited arguments and campaigning it’s one of those moments where a politician can reach out and make us feel like we’re all in this together …

Unless you’re Barney Frank. Frank gets my nod for the worst acceptance speech of last night. After soundly defeating his Republican opponant Sean Beilat, Frank spent about 10 minuntes speaking to his supporters. It’s 10 minutes of taking jabs at his opponent, the Republicans, the press, a waiter who forgot to bring extra bread (OK, I made that last one up). Of course, Frank’s supporters know him as a guy who leaves nothing on his mind unsaid and it’s one of the things they like about him. But in a time when Americans want politicians of both parties to stop fighting and fix things, Frank offerred the kind of rhetoric that only polarizes.

In the race for governor, however, we saw a more promissing reaction from Gov. Deval Patrick, who won a comfortable victory, as well as from his opponent Republican challenger Charles Baker. Both men offerred promisses of moving ahead, working together, finding solutions.

I give Baker a slight nod over Patrick’s speech. The governor sidestepped mentioning his opponent, but did hit the right tone saying he would work for “a better future for those who voted for us and those who did not alike.”

But Baker really spoke like someone who truly was able to put partisanship aside for a moment and vocalize what we all really want — the best for Massachusetts no matter who’s in charge.