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Obama Says He Could Not Be Prouder Of Hillary Clinton

Obama Heartened By President-Elect Donald Trump's Call For Unity In Victory Speech

By
Joe Biden and Barack Obama
Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Photo

President Barack Obama says he could not be prouder of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

Obama said Clinton’s candidacy and nomination sent a message to daughters all across the country that “they can achieve at the highest levels of politics.” Clinton lost to Republican Donald Trump in Tuesday’s election.

Obama spoke Wednesday from the White House’s Rose Garden. He said he is confident that Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton will continue to do great work for people around the world. Vice President Joe Biden stood by Obama’s side during the speech, the two occasionally exchanged laughs and jokes, attempting to make light of a presidential result that has shocked many across the world.

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Obama said he was heartened by President-elect Donald Trump’s call for unity in his speech Tuesday night at his victory rally.

The 2016 presidential campaign was long and hard fought, Obama said, and that while a lot of Americans are feeling exultant, others are not.

He said everyone is sad when their side loses an election. But, resorting to sports analogies, Obama said “we’re actually all on one team” and the United States is in an intramural scrimmage.

All Americans should want what’s best for the country, he said.

In his acceptance speech, Trump called for the country to “bind the wounds of division.”

Obama instructed his team Wednesday to make sure there is a peaceful transfer of power to Trump.

He noted he and Trump have had big differences. Trump promises 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.”

Now, Obama said “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. That’s how the country has moved forward, he said, and he’s confident the incredible American journey will continue.