between his personal interests, and nation's. He feels that the possibility that the Russians interfered on his behalf cheapens his win. So if it is in his interests (he thinks) to cast doubt on those saying Russia interfered (his own intel services and countrymen), and express admiration for the leader of the interfering power who denies it, then how is that not the US' interests? It's in my interests, so it's in the country's, right?

No that doesn't surprise me. The fact that Trumpies are still so in the bag for him - that surprises me. I had a similar experience. I was a W voter in 2000 and an avid supporter. I ultimately opposed the invasion of Iraq (rightly in retrospect, I think), and eventually could not support W anymore. Couldn't support the neoconservatism at the core of his admin.

But Trumpies, especially the ones who have always been repub (most of them), stay with his generally unrepublican populism to the end, no matter what Trump does. I have lost faith about whether that can change.