Where Is Barack Obama?

Visiting Justin Trudeau, June 2017. Photo: Adam Scotti/Prime Minister’s Office/Handout via REUTERS

Gabriel Debenedetti, NYMag: Where Is Barack Obama?

The most popular American, whose legacy is the primary target of Donald Trump, has, for now, virtually disappeared from public life.

Barack Obama was six months into his post–White House life when Donald Trump found a new way to grab his attention. It was a Tuesday morning deep in the mid-Atlantic summer, and, feeling a world away from the Pennsylvania Avenue grind, the former president was reading the New York Times on his iPad.

The previous evening, Trump had visited West Virginia, where he spoke at the annual Boy Scout Jamboree. Addressing a crowd of roughly 40,000, who were expecting the usual talk about citizenship and service, the president uncorked a political diatribe packed with jabs at Obama, Hillary Clinton, and the Washington, D.C., “cesspool”; reminders about the importance of saying “Merry Christmas”; and reminiscences of Election Night 2016 and the pundits he embarrassed. “You remember that incredible night with the maps, and the Republicans are red and the Democrats are blue, and that map was so red it was unbelievable. And they didn’t know what to say,” Trump told the Scouts. They seemed bewildered at first but before long broke into chants of “USA!” Adult observers were openly horrified. Three days later, the Boy Scouts’ leader would apologize for Trump’s speech.

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WNU editor: It is obvious to me on what the former President is doing right now .... he is making money and finding ways to make more .... and there is nothing wrong with that. As for Gabriel Debenedetti saying in the post above that former President Obama has refrained from criticizing President Trump .... I am not sure about that .... I saw the former President give a speech in Montreal last June, and his remarks were very critical of the current President. But I think former President Obama is realizing what all former Presidents have realized in the past .... when you are out of office you no longer have the bully pulpit .... and you cannot compete with the current President when it comes to the media. There is also the added problem that if does start making public appearances where questions can be directed at him .... he may have to answer some questions that he does not want to answer. For example .... when did he know that his Justice Department was targeting the Trump campaign for Russian collusion, and what did he do after that. These are issues that I am sure he wants to stay away from .... especially since the Mueller Counsel is still investigating this entire affair, and he does not want to position himself where he may be then called upon by the Mueller Counsel to answer some questions. Hmmmm .... yeah. Better stay low key right now, and focus on making money.