XPost: alt.politics.obama, alt.politics.socialism.democratic, alt.fan.rush-limbaugh
XPost: talk.politics.guns, sac.politics

Barack Obama delved into domestic politics Tuesday night in a way he
rarely does – and the content was pretty remarkable.

Speaking to the Connecticut Forum in Hartford, the former president
called for institutions, law firms, universities, members of both
parties and even Justice Department figures to make “uncomfortable” sacrifices to defend a democracy he argued is increasingly under fire in President Donald Trump’s second term. He suggested, without ever using Trump’s name, that the US was “dangerously close” to a more autocratic government.

“What’s happening is that we now have a situation in which all of us are going to be tested in some way, and we are going to have to then decide
what our commitments are,” Obama said, according to a transcript of his remarks provided by his office.

“It will be uncomfortable for a time, but that’s how you know it’s a commitment – because you do it when it’s hard, not just when it’s easy, not just when it’s trendy, not just when it’s cool.”

Obama specifically cited how law firms that don’t cow to Trump will have
to accept reduced billings — “which means you cannot remodel that
kitchen in your house in the Hamptons this summer” — and businesses that resist the administration’s bullying may have to deal with retribution
like politically oriented investigations or mergers being held up.

He even twice pointed to people who work in Trump’s Justice Department, painting them as a bulwark in upholding the Constitution in the face of
the president’s threats.

It was a significant call for a broad-scale resistance from the most
popular and significant Democratic figure of the 21st century. And it
comes at an important time, as the grassroots have risen up in protest
like they haven’t since the start of Trump’s first term, but as the
party still faces a remarkable leadership vacuum.

His appearance, however, was also somewhat discordant.

If you haven’t heard much about Obama’s comments, there’s a reason for that. He chose to deliver them at an event at which audio and video
recordings were prohibited. If the idea was to disseminate this clarion
call to the broader public, it was a weird choice of venues.

Obama never uttered the word “Trump” once. Throughout his remarks, it
was clear what he was talking about. But he opted for broad generalities
rather than specifics about who and what are threatening democracy.

He did include winks and nods to what everyone likely knew he was
talking about.

“I mean, if you follow regularly what is said by those who are in charge
of the federal government right now, there is a weak commitment to … our understanding of how a liberal democracy is supposed to work,” Obama
said.

He also warned about government being “captured by those who, let’s say, have a weak attachment to democracy.”

After some cheers and applause, Obama said, “Well, I don’t even think that’s a controversial statement at this point … It was a controversial statement; now it is self-acknowledged.”

But is it self-acknowledged? Perhaps in a room full of people who would
turn out to see Barack Obama.

In the rest of the country, not so much. A CNN poll conducted by SSRS
last month showed about half of Americans (49%) said American democracy
is “under attack.” That sounds like a lot, but it’s actually lower than most polls this decade.

Democrats have warmed to this argument, as Trump’s 2024 election has persuaded Republicans that democracy is in OK shape. But it’s still only about 7 in 10 Democrats who view this as an immediate threat. And the
trend line for independents is pretty flat.

Obama’s appearance was very much in line with how former presidents are supposed to conduct themselves after leaving office. The norm is that
they resist criticizing their successors and stay above the day-to-day
fray. Obama has generally adhered to this, save for when he’s campaigned against Trump.

But the 44th president is also talking about a historic moment in which
the very foundations of our democracy are under attack. He’s talking
about how everyone needs to sacrifice in a historic moment, but he’s
clearly reluctant to go too far in using his own platform – at least for
now. He’s still clinging – to borrow a word – to the norms.

It harks back to the generals who served under Trump. Some of them spent
years inching toward publicly warning that Trump was dangerous and even
a fascist threat, treating the situation gently because generals aren’t supposed to get involved in politics.

Their comments faded quickly from the campaign in part because they
seemed to want to them to. Many of these criticisms surfaced indirectly,
in books. The generals weren’t out there giving TV interviews or press conferences. But that they didn’t really press their case undermined the
idea that they really thought Trump was this threat.

Obama’s decision to more subtly register these comments also comes at a
time when Democrats are practically begging for a voice of authority to consistently drive these kinds of messages. The party faces a leadership
vacuum like we’ve rarely seen, which makes competing with Trump’s
firehose of provocations much more difficult.

There is one figure who could seemingly fill that void instantly. A
Gallup poll earlier this year showed Obama is by far the most popular
living president, with 6 in 10 Americans and even 1 in 5 Republicans
having a favorable opinion.

There are reasons for him to not want to get too involved, including so
the next generation of Democratic leaders can assert themselves.

But for now, he seems reluctant to step too far outside his own comfort
zone.

Obama is making money off Trump's actions like most reasonably aware
people. Of course he doesn't want to rock the boat too much. He'd lose
money!

https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/18/politics/obama-trump-resistance-analysis

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