US President Barack Obama (R) together with Vice President Joe Biden (L) addresses, for the first time publicly, the shock election of Donald Trump as his successor, on November 9, 2016 at the White House in Washnigton, D.C.
Throughout the two-year-long election campaign, Obama has repeated a mantra that he will do all he can to ensure the peaceful transition of power. / AFP PHOTO / Nicholas Kamm
A triumphant Donald Trump heads to the White House Thursday for talks with President Barack Obama on securing a smooth transition of power and steading nerves after an election that shocked the world.
Forty-eight hours after Trump鈥檚 upset win, the 70-year-old president-elect will get a chance to measure the drapes ahead of his January inauguration.
It could be a deeply uneasy meeting for two men who have sparred repeatedly.
Trump has questioned whether Obama was born in the United States 鈥� a suggestion laden with deep racial overtones 鈥� and the Democratic commander-in-chief has described the celebrity businessman as 鈥渦niquely unqualified鈥� to be president.
But the last day has seen efforts to bring this deeply divided country together after a brutal two-year battle for the White House that at times appeared more tribal than partisan.
Vanquished Democratic rival Hillary Clinton fought back the bitter disappointment of not becoming America鈥檚 first female president to urge Americans to give Trump a chance, at least from the outset.
鈥淲e owe him an open mind and the chance to lead,鈥� she said in a concession speech.
Obama, addressing disconsolate staff in the White House Rose Garden, played down the extraordinary Trump win, painting it as democracy being its messy self.
鈥淪ometimes you lose an argument,鈥� he said, adding that all Americans would now be 鈥渞ooting鈥� for Trump鈥檚 success.
鈥淲e are Americans first. We鈥檙e patriots first. We all want what鈥檚 best for this country,鈥� Obama said as staff wiped away tears and pondered whether his administration鈥檚 eight years of toil had come to naught.
In the battle for the soul of America, those who helped elect America鈥檚 first black president now appear to be in retreat.
Both Obama and Clinton issued a faint but definite warning that Trump must respect institutions and the rule of law if a modicum of goodwill is to hold.
In remarks that would once have seemed unthinkable, the president of the world鈥檚 foremost democracy and military power subtly urged his successor to respect the 240-year-old system of governance and its institutions.
鈥淭he country,鈥� Obama said 鈥渘eeds a sense of unity, a sense of inclusion, a respect for our institutions, our way of life, rule of law, and a respect for each other.鈥�
White House spokesman Josh Earnest demurred when asked whether Trump would respect the rule of law.
His tone 鈥渨ould seem to suggest that certain basic principles of our democracy are likely to be upheld.鈥�
Brave new world
鈥淟ikely鈥� is unlikely clear enough for Washington鈥檚 partners who see the entire global political order, which hinges on Washington鈥檚 moral and military leadership, as cast into doubt.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel appeared to take on the mantle of champion of liberal values and 鈥渓eader of the free world,鈥� an epithet usually reserved for American presidents.
She warned that 鈥渃lose cooperation鈥� between the two countries must be based on shared democratic values, and reminded Trump of the global responsibility he carries.
鈥淥n the basis of these values, I offer close cooperation to the future president of the United States of America, Donald Trump.鈥�
Europe, already beset by financial and social crises and internal divisions, now faces existential questions about its own security. Trump has questioned the US-led NATO鈥檚 key collective defense guarantee.
The leaders of America鈥檚 closest hemispheric partners, Canada and Mexico, quickly made clear their willingness to work with the new president, offering a message of continuity and stability with their giant neighbor.
Mexico鈥檚 President Enrique Pena Nieto reached out to the president-elect, agreeing to a meeting.
鈥楻edemption, not recrimination鈥�
The Republican Party leadership, too, embraced their newfound champion.
House Speaker Paul Ryan, who had distanced himself from Trump in the final month of the campaign, pledged to 鈥渉it the ground running鈥� and work with him on conservative legislation.
But Ryan also called for healing, saying the bitterly contested race must be followed by a period 鈥渙f redemption, not a time of recrimination.鈥�
Likewise, Trump called for national reconciliation after Clinton conceded defeat in a result that virtually no poll had dreamed of predicting.
He told a crowd of jubilant supporters early Wednesday in New York 鈥渋t is time for America to bind the wounds of division鈥� as he pledged to work with Democrats in office.
On Wednesday Trump huddled at Trump Tower in New York with a group of advisers, planning the transition to running the world鈥檚 largest economy when he takes office on January 20.
During a bitter campaign that tugged at America鈥檚 democratic fabric, the tycoon pledged to deport illegal immigrants, ban Muslims from the country and tear up free-trade deals.
Trump鈥檚 campaign message was embraced by a large section of America鈥檚 white majority, grown increasingly disgruntled by the scope of social and economic change under Obama.
But it was passionately rejected by Clinton supporters.
Thousands of protesters rallied across the United States late Wednesday expressing shock and anger over Trump鈥檚 election, vowing to oppose divisive views they say helped the Republican billionaire win the White House.
In Washington, several hundred gathered in front of the White House for a candlelight vigil on a damp, chilly evening, criticizing what they called Trump鈥檚 racism, sexism and xenophobia, and carrying signs reading 鈥淲e have a voice!鈥� and 鈥淓ducation for all!鈥�
Some of the most enthusiastic support for Trump came from far-right and nationalist politicians in Europe such as French opposition figure Marine Le Pen, Matteo Salvini of Italy鈥檚 Northern League and British euroskeptic Nigel Farage.
Russia鈥檚 autocratic leader Vladimir Putin said he wanted to rebuild 鈥渇ull-fledged relations鈥� with the United States, as he warmly congratulated the president-elect./rga