Barack Obama
**FILE** Barack Obama (Freddie Allen/AMG/NNPA)

With unrestrained vitriol and the stunning lack of leadership emanating from the White House on an almost daily basis, the ever-rising popularity of former President Barack Obama is unmistakable.

The media and most of the American public hang on every word and watch every move Obama makes — many openly pining for the 44th president to “do something,” “do anything,” to provide some sense of normalcy and a renewed dignity to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

“Overall, most liberals I know loved President Obama because he was eloquent and thoughtful. I think he’s extremely popular right now because Trump has pretty much failed in every way possible — especially on the points where he said he could and would do things better than Obama did,” District resident Alicia Butler told The Washington Informer.

“The more inept Trump becomes, the more people will forget what they didn’t like about Obama,” Butler said. “And for those of us who loved Obama, seeing Trump mess up 10 times a day really drives our appreciation for 44 home even further.”

Many other residents expressed similar sentiments.

In Obama’s first four years, he bailed out the auto industry saving several thousands of jobs, and the auto industry repaid the loan.  He tightened up credit requirements to curtail predatory lending practices, which was the main reason the country went into the Great Recession, said Kevin Darné, an author whose books have included “My Cat Won’t Bark! (A Relationship Epiphany.”

“Obama got the Affordable Care Act passed which brought the number of 46.5 million uninsureds down to 27 million by 2016, and the stock market rebounded, and job growth increased monthly, and he also won the Nobel Peace Prize,” Darné said, adding that Obama repealed “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy in the military, supported federal recognition of same-sex marriage, and prevented the deportation of young immigrants residing in the U.S. illegally after being brought in by their parents.

“His quick response to Hurricane Sandy drew praise from Republican governors, Chris Christie of New Jersey and Bob McDonnell of Virginia, who killed Osama Bin Laden, the person responsible for the 9-11 attacks in 2001,” he said.

Darné also pointed out that Obama effectively managed the Ebola crisis. At the same time, Trump has only repeated his mantra of building a wall and gutting Obamacare, and his handling the COVID-19 crisis has been less-than-stellar.

“He routinely lies and blames the Obama administration for every issue that arises,” he said. “The main goal of Donald Trump appears to be to dismantle every signature achievement Barack Obama had.”

Joe Biden, Obama’s vice president and the presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee, has publicly said that he would love to have former first lady Michelle Obama as his running mate.

The Committee to Draft Michelle Obama for VP is working to build “substantial grassroots support for a potential Michelle Obama candidacy and help garner media attention for a vice presidential nominee who has the power to beat Donald Trump,” according to the group’s press release.

“Ms. Obama, the most admired woman in America, will be a vital asset this November when Vice President Biden will face an uphill battle to combat the lies and deceit emanating from the White House,” said the statement released Monday. “Her credibility as a trusted leader and a strong symbol of unity within the Democratic Party would certainly help Democrats defeat Republicans up and down the ballot.”

Tina Willis, a personal injury attorney at Tina Willis Law, said that while she didn’t agree with every decision Obama made while in office, she never doubted that he held the best of intentions for all Americans.

“He was smart and empathetic, surrounded himself with the best advisers and team members, and always did his absolute best to both bring people together and do the right thing for everyone in the country,” Willis said. “I would say that Trump is so awful, on every level, [and] increased my appreciation for Obama. But my feelings toward Trump didn’t increase my admiration of Obama. I always thought he was the best president that I’ve seen during my lifetime. I really wish Michelle Obama would become the vice president, although I definitely don’t blame her for not wanting to face all of the bad that comes with a high political office in this country.”

Stacy M. Brown is a senior writer for The Washington Informer and the senior national correspondent for the Black Press of America. Stacy has more than 25 years of journalism experience and has authored...

Join the Conversation

2 Comments

  1. I second the notion on how Trump has behave amid Covid-19 outbreak, and how he lacks the kind of virtue needed in times like the world is experiencing. Voters, but mainly the electorate college must remember POTUS Trump’s inaction and embarrassing rhetoric this election cycle come November, and December when the EC solidify the voters choice for 46. I too wonder how Obama would have handled the current crisis, corona virus. But lets not forget all the mistakes Prez Obama made during his tenure. Obama deported more noncitizen in his term as president that some republican presidents during their slant, as well, killed thousands in drone attacks, and there is nothing special about killing Osama Bin Laden, who I see as a scapegoat killing for the 9-11 act that should be blame on how our government allowed such an horrific event that further injure, maimed, sicken to death those heroes who responded to the call, first responders.

  2. While no one would claim president Obama ever walked on water, there is no room for comparison between him and Trump going back to how they conducted themselves as candidates for the office as well as how they handled the duties of the office.

    If Obama had been overheard bragging about committing sexual assault on women by “grabbing them by the p….” or using campaign funds to payoff a porn star and centerfold mistresses he would have never got elected!

    Obama never would have suggested scientists look into ways to ingest household disinfectants into people as possible cure for COVID-19.
    Nor would he had initially claimed COVID-19 was a hoax pushed by the Republicans.
    Obama wouldn’t have attempted to withhold congressional approved aide to an ally nation unless they launched an investigation into a rival.

    There is a difference between upholding the law regarding illegal immigration using deportation and separating children from their parents while (locking them up in cages). Nor can anyone imagine Obama going to Puerto Rico and tossing out rolls of paper towels after a hurricane.

    Drone attacks and other military strategies designed to hasten the end of a war (which by the way Senator Obama voted against) are the result of taking council from Generals and other military specialists. Supposedly we went to war with Iraq after 9-11 because they had “weapons of mass destruction” which they did not have. If anyone was a “scapegoat” it was Saddam Hussein.

    Osama Bin Laden took credit for being the “mastermind” behind the attacks on 9-11 and also successfully eluded capture for over 7 years during the George W. Bush administration. Osama Bin Laden was “the most wanted man in the world.” Obama found him during his first term.

    Trump pulled out of the Paris accord designed to address global warming, he pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal designed to keep them from developing a weapon, he started a trade war with China which would have bankrupted farmers without the aid of government subsidies, and he is breaking 40 years of tradition by refusing to hang the portrait of Obama (the previous president) in the white house.
    Lest we forget Trump became “the face” of the “birther movement” claiming Obama was not a citizen of the U.S.

    Trumps 4 years in office for many people seems like 10 years! The country feels like it’s only one tweet away from either going to war or having a stock market crash and financial meltdown. A desire for return to “normalcy” is behind the increase of popularity of president Obama.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *