Summary
Barack Obama sharply criticized Donald Trump’s presidency during a speech at Hamilton College, condemning attacks on the press, immigration crackdowns, and threats to civil liberties.
He called it “unimaginable” that Trump’s actions—such as barring the AP and threatening law firms—would have been tolerated under past presidents.
Obama warned that Trump’s behavior, though “goofy,” poses real danger, and he labeled Trump a “wannabe dictator.”
He also referenced former Trump aide John Kelly’s “fascist” remark and urged Americans not to mistake chaos for leadership.
Tariffs are basically tax on Americans.
Just call him for what he is, A russia agent, Krasnov Trump.
And stop calling them Presidents, they are public servant. re-label the term to “Head Public Servant”.
So that everyone is reminded everyday who they are supposed to serve.Larry Niven’s scifi series had a species named Puppeteers where the leader was called the “Hindmost” because nobody wanted the gig. I think the leader’s job was to draw off the predators or something like that.
This is the archived version of the article, no paywall.
Barrack gave us trump when he let home owners eat shit and the bankers walk free. Even Bush was going to give home owners some reprieve, and asked Obama if he wanted to proceed and Obama told him " there is only one president at a time". When he came in to power, he bailed out the banks.
He campaigned explicitly on a platform of change and then proceeded to install a cast of deeply entrenched establishment figures to shore up the establishment at the expense of common people. Classic switcheroo.
Obama was also in a position of power to actually do something about the Russian influence on the 2016 election - and he did nothing.
he labeled Trump a “wannabe dictator.”
Sure wish Democrats would quit downplaying the threat.
I agree. It’s absolutely fucking infuriating.
“Aggressively and rapidly installing himself as a dictator” would still be understating a bit.
You could listen to him. He was the only decent president You had in my memory.
I disagree. He was a great candidate and a shitty president. What was his crowning achievement? ACA? That failed in the medium run, as we all knew it would. Meh.
More or less shitty than Donald?
Nah bruh. It was imaginable. I fucking imagined it. Because it was goddamn obvious.
it lowkey became inevitable when the democrats didn’t make blocking trump from ever being president their #1 focus
Became inevitable when democrats ran Biden the first time… anyone with two brain cells could tell a Biden that doesn’t deliver some absolutely insane legislation was done. He even ran on being a one term president. He needed to stay on that path hard and allow a real primary group to form so there were competing ideas out against Trump. Saying everything is great in the face of massive inflation isn’t really going to cut it.
They wanted to beat him again in another election. I’m pretty sure Biden had the DOJ drag their feet specifically so he could beat him again in another election.
It was said that the DOJ did that on their own. From inside sources, I think believable. But Biden didn’t fight them.
a foolish failed gambit. fuck around and find out typa shit
Yup, and now the world suffers because of democrats unwillingness to say or do anything that might give the impression that they’re making anything even remotely a political attack.
Pretty sure the reasoning was that biden was only barely able to beat trump in 2020 and wouldn’t be able to beat anyone else.
Good, start the campaign now so that if Trump somehow crowbars in a law that allows him to run for a third term Obama can bury him
Crowbars in a law? Why not just do it? Who will stop him?
I don’t see that as a fix. A third term for either would be a higher level constitutional crisis than all the many ones trump has already initiated. Many failed like with his first impeachment for misappropriating federal funds to bribe a foreign official.
Everyone assumes Obama would easily win. I don’t think that’s a foregone conclusion. It would just make the third term fully legitimized.
The only reason we have a 22nd amendment is because the shitheels were mad they didn’t get a turn. They could have stopped being shitheels, but that’s just out of the question.
Its something they should have put into the original consitution. They were never supposed to be careers. Given the terms of the various branches they should have maxed 12 years in any federal role besides judicial and that should have had a retirement cut off of 60.
Maybe a hot take but career politicians are something that make sense in a democracy that is properly functioning. If a politician is sure that they won’t have to go work in industry after they are out of office they are less likely to feel the need to bend to the will of the oligarchs. But that is not how it has worked out so the idea itself seems much worse than it inherently is.
Besides the fact that Trump has already telegraphed a possible plan to allow for three terms only if they’re non-consecutive.
I mean thats great but it should not be allowed any more than any presidential law break is allowed. The solution is not to go with it and also do it.
Oh my god shut the fuck up about it being “unimaginable”. They published the playbook online for anyone to see in 2020. They said they would follow the playbook. They are now following the playbook. They are completing sections of the playbook as written. They will continue to complete sections of the playbook as written, until they are either done executing the playbook, or removed from power somehow. None of this is a surprise. You are not allowed to be surprised by this.
This is a straw man. Obama was not saying that nobody knew what project 2025 was planning. He’s saying that prior presidents could never have gotten away with behaving in ways that Trump behaves, and doing things that Trump does.
If any President in recent history should return for a third term, I’d vote for Obama again in a heartbeat.
You people are fucking idiots… At this point, I’m starting to feel like we deserve this dumb ass administration.
Not trying to tigger you, but who would you pick for a third (albeit unconstitutional) term?
I was rooting for a Jimmy Carter second term but that’ll be tough now.
Do undead presidents act as a third term loophole?
Even if he wasn’t undead, it would be SUCH an upgrade.
Rally the troops Obama. Do something about it.
Would love to vote for this Obama guy if he has the chance to run again. Do it, Republicans. No balls.
That’s the funny part: if Trump and the supreme court somehow finagle a new legal loophole for the constitution, then Obama will get elected.
Obama, ya basic.
Obama was “boring”, that is exactly what you want in a president. Just sitting there doing his job, not trying to get on TV or the news every damn day.
Although if you did want to look closer, he was very engaging to listen to. So, not boring in that sense.
Well Trump was a TV showman. Americans voted for a showman so they got a showman.
Please do not tell me what I want in a president.
I certainly didn’t specifically mean you as an individual. But I have a hard time believing you actually thought I did…
