National has won more support than Labour and the Greens combined, but more people voted for Labour, the Greens and New Zealand First combined than National.
English's triumphalism may have been simply a consequence of him feeling triumphant, but it was more likely because he believes Winston Peters is obliged to do a deal with National.
Jacinda Ardern - Labour
Jacinda Ardern should have been happier than she sounded.
She had no reason to make a victory speech like Bill English did - or as Helen Clark did in 1996 when opposition parties thought they has sufficient numbers to deny National a chance to form government.
But it sounded like a concession speech instead of someone who leads by far the biggest party in an alternative combination of parties to National.
The numbers say she is an alternative Prime Minister but her tone did not suggest it.
She expressed disappointment in the result, which mean she was comparing her party's position to where it was in some polls three weeks ago (ahead of National) instead of to the incredible transformation since she took over the party seven weeks ago.
She talked about contacting James Shaw.
She came up with a new pseudonym for Winston Peters.
The result of the election, she said, would be decided by MMP.
James Shaw - Greens
Soon after television commentators predicted that James Shaw's speech should be a concession of sorts, and that he should agree to do whatever it took for Labour and New Zealand First to form a Government, James Shaw appeared and did the opposite.
He came out fighting and with a message to Winston Peters. New Zealanders voted for a change - more parties voted against National than for it.
And he reminded Peters, who loves to hate the Greens, that they actually have quite a bit in common such as revitalising rail and forestry and in concerns with a low productivity.
But there was no follow-through from Ardern who followed him.
It sounded more like a stump speech than one designed to win Winston and influence New Zealand First or one that expressed commiserations for the three MPs who have lost seats, Mojo Mathers, Barry Coates and Denise Roche.
Winston Peters - New Zealand First
Winston Peters delivered the first leaders' address of the evening, so that revellers at the Duke of Marlborough Hotel in Russell could catch the last ferry back to Paihia.
He omitted to mention the fact that five of his parliamentary colleagues had lost their seats in Parliament (Mahesh Bindra, Pita Paraone, Ria Bond, Denis O'Rourke and Richard Prosser) although he did implore them to keep their lips closed in the coming days and not to embarrass the party in the coming days.
He omitted to mention the fact he had lost his Northland seat to National.
But he did get he key message across in a brief five minute speech - that people need to have patience and that the party, which holds the balance of "responsibility" not "power" wont be rushed into a decision.
He wants to slow down the process and not be pressured into early decisions.
In an ideal world, Peters would wait until the specials were through in a fortnight before even beginning negotiations.
A couple of extra seats to Labour and the Greens would make negotiations more competitive. He would be able to extract better deals from both National and Labour if the viability of a Labour-led Government were certain.
However, he would also run the risk of the alternative-to-National government losing a majority and any viability.
