Where did Barack Obama go and what he is doing now

In late June, the magazine New York Magazine came out article political commentator Gabriel Debenedetti "Where is Barack Obama?". The publication writes that since Donald Trump was elected President of the United States, Barack Obama actually left politics and almost did not comment on the state of affairs in the United States, which has changed a lot since 2017, and this is puzzling for both ordinary Americans and some of his colleagues. democratic party.

Photo instagram.com/barackobama

In the first six months after Trump’s inauguration, Obama made only a couple of cautious political statements - in defense of the Obamacare health insurance system and in support of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

Even when Trump turned his appearance at the national congress of boy scouts in a political speech and from the stage accused Obama that he never spoke to the scouts (which is not true), who, according to New York Magazine, preferred to keep silent - although he “boiled” from manipulating children.

The last year and a half of politics, ordinary Americans and celebrities have repeatedly asked the question "Where is Obama?". In November, 2017 th on Saturday Night Live TV show performed the musical number “Come back, Barak”, and basketball player Kobe Bryant said: “We all miss him.” This was admitted and the former director of the FBI, James Komi. Obama still has a lot of support in the country: now his past activities as president of the United States approve almost two thirds the americans.

“People continue to wait for his intervention, ask for it, and even feel frustrated because this is not happening,” said Obama's former communications assistant, Jennifer Palmeieri.

- They miss the "father", the house; the world has become so disorienting, and they want something loved and familiar. ”

According to a New York Magazine observer, after the end of Trump America’s reign, it is possible that Obama “did not fall to his level,” but the reticent detachment of the former president may turn out to be an untimely refusal of leadership. “The fact is that this situation is different from that in which all past presidents were,” historian Julian Zelitser told the publication. “There has been a crisis in governing the country.”

All the time after the departure and post Obama read paid lectures and traveled the world, meeting current or former political leaders, and almost always privately. “He is very careful that this does not look like a game of international diplomacy, but people close to him are convinced that these meetings are intended as a kind of guarantee that the world is not coming to an end,” writes New York Magazine.

The main two new affairs of the former president are the writing of the book and the creation of their own fund. In 2017, Barack and Michelle Obama signed a contract with Penguin Random House to publish memoirs; the book of the former first lady should come out in November 2018, but the fate of Barack Obama’s memories is still hazy.

His acquaintances "sigh when they are asked about his successes." They say that Obama has allocated a lot of time to work on the book, but is often distracted by meetings with friends and former colleagues under the pretext of “sharing memories”.

The Obama Foundation is intended as a global initiative to nurture “new leaders”; in 2018, a joint educational program with the foundation was launched at the University of Chicago, and in 2021, a presidential center and museum should open in the city. New York Magazine writes that Barack Obama meets regularly with the architects working on the project and with potential sponsors.

Sources familiar with the situation told the publication that Obama’s goal was to collect from the 500 million to a billion dollars for the foundation’s activities; single-donation amounts can reach 10 and even 20 millions.

Among those who have already contributed large sums are the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the millionaire and philanthropist Mark Benioff, and the Hollywood director and producer JJ Abrams.

The former first couple of the United States also plans to produce films and TV shows. In May, 2018, Barack and Michelle Obama signed a contract with Netflix and created their own production company Higher Ground Productions. But, as New York Magazine sources say, its first release is worth the wait not earlier than 2019 or 2020.

New York Magazine notes that, despite Barack Obama’s unwillingness to directly intervene in American politics, he nevertheless played an unofficial role in trying to save the Obamacare program, which the Republicans decided to cancel after Trump’s arrival. Former employees of his administration have organized a public campaign in support of the program; it was even joined by Bernie Sanders, who supports another health insurance program, Medicare. Obama did not participate in any official Obamacare event, but criticized the actions of the current administration on Facebook (some of his associates thought this was not enough), and before the Senate vote, he called the governor of Alaska, because voting depended on the state senator’s vote.

Photo facebook.com/pg/barackobama

Obama also helped former US Attorney General Eric Holder to set up a committee to reform the Democratic Party, which New York Magazine calls "a good opportunity to return to politics from time to time with an eye toward long-term reforms, not local party victories." In conversations with party leaders, the former president promised to support Democrats in midterm congressional elections, including helping with fundraising for election campaigns. However, many party members criticize him for having exhausted the resources of many potential sponsors, collecting donations from them for his foundation.

Obama himself assures that he will not be a key figure in the 2018 election of the year - and he is banking on new party leaders. Without publicizing this, he personally advises young and ambitious Democratic politicians who can take part in the 2020 presidential race of the year. And he makes it clear: at this stage he has no intention of joining it.

“Even while living in Washington, he was used to unbuttoning an extra button on his shirt and thoughtfully talking about how much better he was sleeping now. Relaxing, he admits that he misses life in the thick of international events, but confidentially reports that his life has slowed so much that he now feels like Neo - the character Keanu Reeves from “The Matrix”, who could dodge bullets in a slow-motion shot. ” (English.)

NEW YORK MAGAZINE

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