President Barack Obama has opened up for the first time since hosting Donald Trump at the White House, saying the President-elect will need to adjust his temperament to deal with the realities of the top job..
On another day of protests in American cities, the outgoing President chose his words carefully while attempting to give some dispassionate advice to his successor.
Barack Obama took everyone behind the smiles and handshakes of his post-election meeting with Donald Trump.
He described the president elect as gregarious and non-ideological ... basically, pragmatic.
"That can serve him well. When you're a candidate and you say something that is inaccurate or controversial it has less impact than it does when you're President of the United States."
As Congress prepares to meet, Hillary Clinton reconnected with Capitol Hill telling of her "heartbreak".
She's reiterated her belief the F-B-I had cost her victory with its belated reopening of its investigations into her emails and told supporters in Congress not to become divided or discouraged..
Mrs Clinton said the letter clearing her of wrongdoing, two days before the election, had actually fuelled votes for Donald Trump.
In their post mortem, the Democrats are looking closely at the losses in three states: Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
Clinton rival Bernie Sanders laments the fact that many working class voters didn't have enough confidence in Secretary Clinton.
"I like Hillary Clinton but I think it's fair to say that the working class of this country did not believe that she was prepared to stand up and fight for them."
And even Mr Obama says his Democratic Party has some work to do.
"I think we want to see new voices and new ideas emerge - that's part of the reason why term limits are a really useful thing."
Continuing an anti-Trump protest movement on the streets of major cities are thousands of students.
Hate banners and racist chants are seen and heard elsewhere, and divisions are plentiful.
And their expression isn't easing off six days after the poll, according to Jonathan Greenblatt of the United States Anti Defamation League.
"We've seen acts of verbal, harassment, even physical assault across the country, like a store that was defaced with swastikas in Philadelphia, or close to Washington DC a church that was vandalized with graffiti that said 'Trump nation, whites only'. We're deeply troubled by this and we're tracking it closely."
Mr Trump's shuffling of possible cabinet names and faces is being closely watched.
His appointment of Steve Bannon as his chief strategist has been heavily criticised.
But it's also been defended not least by Mr Trump's former campaign Manager, Kellyanne Conway.
"Steve Bannon has been the General of this campaign. And frankly, people should look at (his) full resume. He's got a Harvard business degree. He's been a naval officer. He has success in entertainment- I don't know if you're aware of that- and he certainly was a Goldman Sachs managing partner...brilliant tactician."
Mr Obama says unifying a divided country could come from a statesmanlike approach in the White House ...
"I've been encouraged by his statements on election night about the need for unity and his interest in being president for all people. In an election like this that was so hotly contested and so divided, gestures matter."
Mr Trump will be sworn in on January 21st.
