Obama On Trump Victory: 'We Are Now All Rooting For His Success'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- President Barack Obama is pledging a peaceful transition to President-elect Donald Trump, saying "We are now all rooting for his success in uniting and leading the country.''
Obama said he spoke with Trump around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday to congratulate and invite him to meet at the White House on Thursday to talk about making sure that there is a successful transition between their presidencies.
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Speaking Wednesday at the White House, Obama noted that he and Trump have had big differences. Trump has promised to repeal many of Obama's achievements over the past eight years. Obama had warned voters that if Trump were to win, "all that progress goes down the drain.''
"It is no secret that the president-elect and I have some pretty significant differences, but remember, eight years ago President [George W.] Bush and I had some pretty significant differences," Obama said. "But President Bush's team could not have been more professional or more gracious in making sure we had a smooth transition so that we could hit the ground running."
Obama said he has instructed his team to follow the example of his predecessor.
"The presidency and the vice presidency is bigger than any of us," Obama said. "The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy and over the next few months we are going to show that to the world."
Obama also praised Hillary Clinton, saying, "I'm proud of her, a lot of Americans look up to her, her candidacy and nomination was historic and a message to our daughters all across the country that they can achieve at the highest level of politics."
Obama said the campaign was long and hard fought and that while a lot of Americans are feeling exultant, others are not.
"We have to remember that we're actually all on one team. We're not democrats first, we're not Republicans first, we are Americans first. We are patriots first," Obama said, adding "we all want what's best for this country.''
He said the point is that we all go forward with a presumption of good faith in all citizens, because that's how the country has moved forward and he's confident that the incredible American journey will continue.
Trump won the White House with 289 electoral votes to Clinton's 218.
Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway said Obama called Trump while he was delivering his victory speech, and so Trump called him back after he left the stage.
She told "CBS This Morning" that the two spoke "well into the wee hours" of the morning and had what she described as a "very nice talk.''
Obama also called Hillary Clinton. The White House said Obama conveyed admiration for the "strong campaign she waged throughout the country.''
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