President Obama’s Graceful Speech On Donald Trump Is A Reminder Of What We’ll Soon Be Missing

President Trump. My fingers are still struggling to type those words, but I guess they’d better get used to it, because oh fuck this is really happening. Donald Trump has won the election, and in just a few short months will be sworn in as the 45th President of the United States.

Just A Quick Reminder That ‘The Simpsons’ Predicted Donald Trump’s Presidency 15 Years Ago

One way or the other, a lot of people are having a lot of fairly intense feelings right now. People like Snoop Dogg, Pauline Hanson and every single person in your Facebook feed, to name a few.

But one man who probably has more cause to be upset than anyone is President Obama, whose entire legacy is now at risk. Still, you wouldn’t know it from the exceptionally classy speech from the White House this morning, in which he congratulated Trump, called for national unity, and basically promised not to lock himself in the Oval Office for the next four years and refuse to come out.

“It is no secret that the President-elect and I have some pretty significant differences,” he told reporters, with a hint of a laugh. “But remember, eight years ago, President Bush and I had some pretty significant differences. 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.

“One thing you realise quickly in this job is that the presidency, and the vice-presidency, is bigger than any of us,” he continued. “So I have instructed my team to follow the example that President Bush’s team set eight years ago, and work as hard as we can to make sure this is a successful transition for the president-elect. Because we are now all rooting for his success in uniting and leading the country.”

“Everybody is sad when their side loses an election. But the day after, we have to remember that we’re all on the same team.”

Bottle that President Obama speech and play it for every exiting President in the future.

— Ian O'Connor (@Ian_OConnor) November 9, 2016

The President also had a message for young people who might be disappointed with the result. “You have to stay encouraged,” he said. “Don’t get cynical. Don’t ever think you can’t make a difference.”

All in all, it was pretty impressive for someone whose internal monologue right now must just be one very long, very loud, very angry scream.

If nothing else, it is going to be fucking bizarre going from a President who speaks this articulately, and with this much sincerity, to a man who uses words like “bigly” and coined the expression “grab them by the pussy.”