“Obama also argued that the current state of politics in America does not reflect the inclusivity of the nation.”
In his first political speech since leaving office, former President Barack Obama took shots at President Donald Trump and the Republican Party. While Obama did not mention President Trump by name, his intent was clear. Obama urged voters to set aside “the same old politics of division” and to turn out and vote for Democratic candidates in New Jersey and Virginia.
“Some of the politics we see now, we thought we put that to bed. That’s folks looking back 50 years. It’s the 21st century, not the 19th century.”- President Obama
Obama also implied that politics has been set back “50 years.” Most likely, the President was alluding to the Civil Rights movement and desegregation during the middle of the 20th century. Many have accused President Trump of inflaming race relations, with tensions flaring during and after the Charlottesville protests in August.
Obama also argued that the current state of politics in America does not reflect the inclusivity of the nation. He warned that this divisiveness would corrode democracy and drive people away from the process. Turn out during the 2016 election was low, although it remains unclear if this was due to divisive politics, or unappealing candidates. Hillary Clinton, in particular, struggled to get people to the polls.
Following tradition, President Obama has largely laid low since leaving office. Many retired Presidents try to avoid the public spotlight after leaving the White House. President Obama has been spotted on vacation and hanging out with celebrities across the world. However, until now, he has generally stayed quiet regarding politics.
It looks like Obama is stepping back into the ring. With the 2018 election cycle heating up, Obama may be looking to play a big role in getting Democrats elected. Certainly, his recent political speeches have been aimed directly at voters. Both Virginia and New Jersey are holding gubernatorial elections this year. Democrat Phil Murphy is leading the polls in New Jersey, while Democrat and Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam leads in Virginia.
President Bush: “Bigotry seems emboldened. Our politics seems more vulnerable to conspiracy theories and outright fabrication.”
Obama’s remarks came shortly after former President George W. Bush also took some jabs at the current state of politics. President Bush has been a recluse since leaving office and rarely weighs in on political matters. However, Bush blasted “nativism” and argued that “argument turns too easily into animosity.”
Like Obama, Bush did not mention President Trump by name. However, many analysts believe that Bush’s comments were thinly veiled swipes at President Trump and his administration. Bush’s remarks are especially noteworthy as the former President has gone far out of his way to avoid politics and controversy since leaving the White House.
George W. Bush and his wife Laura both left their ballots blank during the 2016 Presidential election.
