Obama quiet on final full day in office

Computers being wheeled away, Obama photos off the walls pic.twitter.com/2CTJlNJjZd

— Jordan Fabian (@Jordanfabian) January 19, 2017

President Obama is keeping a low profile on his final full day at the White House.

He is not expected to appear publicly, and the only event listed on his schedule is the last of his weekly lunches with Vice President Biden.

The president on Friday will participate in inaugural activities for President-elect Donald Trump, who will take over the Oval Office at midday tomorrow.

Behind the scenes, White House staff were hurriedly preparing for the transfer of power. 

{mosads}With many aides departing over the past several days, desks stood empty in the West Wing with computers and papers having been taken away. 

Those who remained spent their time packing their belongings into boxes and preparing to turn over their electronic devices. 

Photos of Obama, his family and staff that previously lined the West Wing walls have been taken down, with only empty frames being left behind. 

White House press secretary Josh Earnest told The Hill he hosted the remaining members of his communications team for breakfast in the formal dining room of the White House mess, a privilege not typically available to middle- and lower-level staff. 

Members of Trump’s press staff also visited the West Wing to learn the ropes.

Incoming deputy communications director Raj Shah and Republican National Committee spokesowman Lindsay Walters received a tour of the press basement and got a tutorial on the White House computer system from Obama staff. 

Preparations in anticipation of tomorrow’s inaugural festivities were also underway outside the building.  

In the shadow of the parade viewing stand on Pennsylvania Avenue, National Park Service grounds crews were busy sprucing up the North Lawn.

Landscapers were putting down new mulch underneath the shrubbery, and a street cleaner swept up debris from the driveway where Trump is expected to enter the building.

Obama is expected to make one final official act as president Thursday, a round of clemency for non-violent drug offenders who received sentences the president views as unjust.

The move follows a major clemency announcement on Tuesday, when the president cut short the 35-year sentence of convicted WikiLeaks source Chelsea Manning. 

Obama defended that decision and offered a parting message for the country during his last news conference on Wednesday. 

“Sometimes I get mad and frustrated like everybody else does, but at my core, I think we’re going to be OK,” he told reporters at the White House during his final news conference as president.