While former President Barack Obama has largely done what most former presidents have done and has kept a relatively low profile now that he’s out of office, that might be about to change. A former adviser claims that Obama is “very concerned” about the state of the U.S. and is looking to play an active role in the 2020 elections.
The claim comes from Valerie Jarrett, who worked with Obama from 2008 to 2017. It’s unclear if Jarrett’s statement is an educated guess or based on information that Obama himself conveyed to her. While Obama has largely laid low in the years since leaving office, he has on occasion criticized both the Republican Party and President Trump.
Most likely, Obama will be active on the 2020 campaign trail, although just how active remains to be seen. During the 2018 midterms, Obama blasted Trump as “uniquely unqualified” and “temperamentally unfit” for the Oval Office. Obama also claimed that the Republican Party is fundamentally unsound, arguing that “It did not start with Donald Trump. He is a symptom, not the cause.”
During a speech in the midterms, Obama referenced Lincoln, arguing:
“None of this is conservative. I don’t mean to pretend I’m channeling Lincoln now, but that’s not what he had in mind, I don’t think when he formed the Republican Party. It sure isn’t normal. It’s radical. It’s a vision that says our protection of our power is all that matters.”
Obama’s vice president, Joe Biden is currently the Democratic Party’s frontrunner. While Obama has yet to endorse a candidate, many believe that he is backing Biden, even if from behind the scenes. As for Jarrett, she has not yet endorsed a candidate but has cautioned Democrats from beating up on one another.
