President Obama Says He'll Smooth Transfer of Power

President Barack Obama says he's instructing his team to make sure there is a peaceful transfer of power to Donald Trump.

Obama spoke Wednesday in the White House's Rose Garden following Trump's upset victory in Tuesday's presidential election.

He noted that 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. He says that's how the country has moved forward and he's confident that the incredible American journey will continue.

President Obama says he also was heartened by President-elect Donald Trump's call for unity.

Obama said the campaign was long and hard fought 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 we're in an intramural scrimmage.

He said all Americans should want what's best for the country.

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

Obama said 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."

He said he is confident that Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton will continue to do great work for people around the world.

Earlier, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said President Obama's top priority following Tuesday's election is not his legacy.

Earnest says the president is focused on the 20 million people who gained health insurance after the Affordable Care Act went into effect.

Earnest took questions from reporters about how the election results will affect Obama's legacy on issues such as health care and climate change.

Earnest says the president is also concerned about the prospect of protections being stripped from millions of Americans who benefit because health insurers are not allowed to discriminate based on pre-existing health conditions or impose a lifetime cap on expenses.

Earnest says the tearing away those protections would negatively affect a lot of people, and "that's something Republicans will have to consider moving forward."