For the Record: Now elected, Trump changes tone and tune

It’s been barely a week since Donald Trump’s victory and already the president-elect seems … different? Or at least he seems like he seems different. Trump’s walked back some big league campaign promises: He’s not concerned with deporting all illegal immigrants, just the criminals. And that wall? It’s looking more and more like a fence. Prosecuting the Clintons? “They’re good people,” Trump said.

The haste of Trump’s backpedaling may be unprecedented, historians say. Speaking in Berlin Thursday, Barack Obama noted Trump’s evolution.

"What may work in generating enthusiasm or passion during elections may be different than what will work in terms of unifying the country and gaining the trust even of those who didn't support him," Obama said. "And my sense is that is something he is thinking about…”

Transition watch!

Reporters spent another day holed up in the lobby of Trump Tower watching the people (and the pizzas, so many pizzas) heading upstairs. Trump scheduled meetings Thursday with South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Texas Rep. Jeb (not Jeb!) Hensarling  and former secretary of State Henry Kissinger, among others. Trump also met that evening with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in his first official meeting with a foreign leader.

On tap today: Trump has a two-hour transition meeting in New York City and then will head to Bedminster, N.J., for more meetings. The Trump National Golf Club also happens to be there.

Pence visits Congress, takes selfie

Vice President-elect Mike Pence, a former congressman, returned to Capitol Hill Thursday and met with congressional big shots on both sides of the aisle. He even took a predictably awkward selfie with House Republicans (Pence held the selfie stick. That’s leadership.)

His visit comes during a week of big moves among both parties in Washington.

Senate Democrats voted to elect New York Sen. Chuck Schumer Wednesday as minority leader — the job was previously held by Nevada Sen. Harry Reid who is retiring. They also expanded their leadership team from seven to 10 people, and that new list includes some of the more progressive leaders who have emerged in the party. Ahem, Bernie Sanders (who is technically an independent in the state of Vermont) and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

They also gave Joe Manchin of West Virginia a slot which is interesting because Manchin is one of the most conservative Democrats in the Senate, and there has been speculation recently that he could jump across party lines.

House Democrats, who are still reeling from the election that favored the GOP across the board, postponed their leadership elections until after Thanksgiving. Perhaps a day of eating pumpkin pie and staring out a window will bring answers about why they lost so badly.

Meanwhile, House Republicans unanimously chose Paul Ryan for another term as speaker. It was touch and go there for a while with the Wisconsin Republican, who has had very public differences with Trump, but on Tuesday he called for everyone to unite around the president-elect and #MAGA. In the Senate, Mitch McConnell was re-elected for Senate majority leader.

Dem-ticket check in

It’s been just over a week since Trump's shocking election win and Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine have remained largely quiet since then, but on Wednesday and Thursday this week they started to re-emerge.

Clinton gave a speech Wednesday night to the Children’s Defense Fund, where she told her supporters not to “lose heart, don’t give up on the values we share.”

“I know this isn’t easy. I know that over the past week a lot of people have asked themselves whether America is the country we thought it was,” said Clinton. “The divisions laid bare by this election run deep ... But please listen to me when I say this: America is worth it.”

“I urge you, please don’t lose heart, don’t give up on the values we share,” she said.

Meanwhile, Kaine said “nope, nope," he was definitely not going to run for president or vice president in 2020. But he does plan to run for his Senate seat again (dude already had Kaine 2018 bumper stickers made.)

More from the transition

• Clinton appears for the first time since last week, urges people not to “give up” (USA TODAY)
• After meeting Pence, Biden isn’t worried everything will be erased (USA TODAY)
• A Trump ally says advisers may recommend reinstating a registry that ended because it unfairly targeted immigrants from majority-Muslim countries (USA TODAY)
• Obama to Trump: Don’t cut deals with Russia (USA TODAY)

Pence’s selfie looks eerily similar to ‘The Shining’

So back to that Pence selfie. Does it look strangely familiar to you? It’s just a matter of time before Donald Trump Jr. is riding down the halls of the Capitol on a tricycle.