Former President Barack Obama is selectively wading into the upcoming midterm elections, placing most of his attention on his charitable organization with a few breaks to give input on the contentious November 8 battle.
Obama has been careful in his discussions about the midterms, in what appears to be a safeguard against becoming a lightning rod for GOP opposition.
This caution was on display when Obama decided to warn about “sexist” and “angry” political opposition at a closed-door session during the Copenhagen Democracy Summit in June.
The former President explained that this type of opposition isn’t “persuadable” while urging liberals to guard against “self-righteousness.”
His remarks at the session were first reported by CNN after they obtained a transcript of the meeting.
Obama had harsh words regarding liberal opposition, saying, “Sometimes, it just turns out they’re mean, they’re racist, they’re sexist, they’re angry. And your job is then to just beat them because they’re not persuadable.”
He continued, “Sometimes, we get filled up in our own self-righteousness. We’re so convinced that we’re right that we forget what we are right about.”
Obama’s presence at the event underscores his focus on global democracy and his effort to boost a new generation of liberal leaders.
Yet, despite his comments about political opposition on a global scale, back home, he has been far more reserved. Obama has only made a handful of political appearances this cycle, and his endorsement list won’t be extensive. Instead, many pundits predict it will only include the same names as President Joe Biden’s endorsements.
Although his public participation in politics is waning, the former President is still active behind the scenes, reportedly strategizing with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and weighing in on bills under consideration in Congress.
