Report: Obama Secretly Meeting With 2020 Hopefuls Like Warren, Sanders
Will this cause Obama to embrace his role as leader of the Democratic Party?
Politico has reported that former President Barack Obama secretly met with nine possible 2020 Democrat presidential candidates like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
It’s important to note that no one expects Obama to support or endorse anyone until an official nominee is named.
Obama claimed that once he left office he would leave politics behind, but many of us raised eyebrows when he took an office in Washington, DC.
Well, to no one’s surprise, these meetings have taken place at his office at the World Wildlife Fund building. From Politico:
Obama so far has avoided direct conflict with President Donald Trump — save for a few public statements criticizing his moves attempting to dismantle the Iran nuclear deal, Obamacare and the protection program for Dreamers, though without naming Trump.
But Obama is concerned about how his own party is responding, and how it can be best positioned to win in the midterms and in the next presidential cycle to beat back the president and his politics.
He doesn’t see himself as the person to come up with the plan, people who know about the meetings say, but he is eager to be a sounding board and counselor to the Democrats he sees as playing a role in shaping the party’s future.
Obama’s office declined comment on all the meetings.
Sanders met with Obama in mid-March, but we do not know if he will run again in 2020 even though NBC News reported in April that the senator “has basically not stopped campaigning since his presidential bid ended, first for [failed Democrat presidential candidate Hillary] Clinton, then on his national book tour. Since Trump took office in January 2017, “Sanders has visited 30 states – including Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada.”
Warren first spoke to Obama about the $400,000 speaking fees Obama received when he spoke “at a Wall Street investment firm.” The second meeting took place this April and had more warmth to it as they spoke about “about Richard Cordray, the former head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau who is now the Democratic nominee for governor in Ohio,” and President Donald Trump. Warren has shown her face a lot more than in 2016. She appeared at a rally with Cordray and “donated $5,000 to the Democratic committee in all 50 states and made the maximum allowable contribution to each of her Senate colleagues who are up for re-election, plus to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.”
Yes, former Vice President Joe Biden has even spoken to Obama. The two men have remained close since leaving office. Former Massachusetts Governor Devel Patrick has even sought out Obama’s advice. Former Attorney General Eric Holder, who has dropped hints about a possible 2020 run, has visited Obama, but people familiar with his meetings said the talks centered around the National Democratic Redistricting Committee.
Some hopefuls haven’t met with Obama: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ).
So what has Obama told them? The 2018 midterms have remained the focus of discussions, with Obama advising how much the party should talk about the Russia investigation “versus focusing on kitchen table issues.” You know, real issues that normal Americans care about.
I’ve blogged about this before, with Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) even encouraging her party to concentrate more on the economy than bashing Trump or bringing up impeachment.
Obama has encouraged the candidates to not “chase shiny objects” and also resist the urge to “hyperventilate over the flash of any tweet.” In other words, don’t act like the media.
The blue wave that the Democrats predicted in 2018 doesn’t seem likely to happen, which has caused Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to push Obama to fundraise. Looks like it worked because Obama will attend “a fundraising event for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee on June 29 in the Bay Area.”
After Hillary’s defeat, the Clinton family has lost their spark and the Democrats have been frantically searching for another face for the party. Despite the secretive meetings now, I wouldn’t be surprised if Obama becomes more public and embraces the role as Democratic leader.
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Obama didn’t exactly pay his dues coming up through the party and didn’t do squat for the party while he occupied the White House, so why is there this persistent belief that he possesses any political mojo now that his usefulness has expired? All of the Dem contenders know that Trump has virtually erased Obama’s legacy in 18 months, so exactly where is the value in a candidate tying their name to Obama’s? Jimmy Carter didn’t even go stale as fast as Obama has.
Agreed – my first reaction to this story is, so what? He doesn’t have any big organization that answers to him, nowadays he’s just some slacker with a big bank account who sits around and plays video NBA most days.
Any Dems that would meet with OZero, show they are stupider then the “average Dumbocrat.
Cause for a couple decades now it has proved out that Obama has the Reverse Midas Touch. Everything Obama touches turns to stinky, brown, sewer stuff.
So the meetings with Obama must clearly be CONSPIRACY!
SNARK!
Regardless of my constant hyper-negative thoughts about Obama, he consistently managed to push through his agenda in some format…. AND, not just once or twice, but for EIGHT YEARS!
I think it would be a real mistake to underrate this Big Black Turd. When Genghis Khan rode out of the steppes he couldn’t see the future – yet he conquered lands all the way into Europe, and genetically has the most descendants of anyone recorded. One in 200 men in the world are direct descendants of Genghis Khan. In modern-day Mongolia alone, as many 35% of men shared the “Khan” Y-chromosome pattern.
DO NOT DESPISE THE DAY OF SMALL BEGINNINGS.
” . . Jimmy Carter didn’t even go stale as fast as Obama has.”
THAT word, “STALE”, is the PERFECT description of Obama.
Soetero couldn’t lead a thirsty horse to water.
Obama would have difficulty figuring the processional order of a two-car funeral.
if breathing wasn’t autonomic, that dumb ba5tard would suffocate.
“Will this cause Obama to embrace his role as leader of the Democratic Party?”
We fervently hope. We need more D leaders like him. >1000 Democrat seats lost in federal and state legislatures, 2009-2017.
Well, I’m glad to read this. I encourage our former President to get heavily involved in every way possible. Fund raising, advice, advisors, and even stumping on their behalf. Please , please, fight the good fight President Obama.
No better way to show the disconnect, the depravity and the stark difference between voting for a Democrat and a Trump-era Republican.
Leader of the Dim party? More like Looter of the Dim party.
SSSSSSSSH!
never interrupt your enemy when they are making a mistake.
😎
“It’s important to note that no one expects him to support or endorse anyone until an official nominee comes out.”
Why is this important? Outside the NYT and CNN (and the few koolaid drinkers who still think they are news sources) no one cares.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Obama becomes more public and embraces the role as Democratic leader.
I would. He’s never been a party leader. He’s shown no ability to bring together any group of diverse thinkers and lead them toward a well-defined goal. He was just the ideal pampered celebrity at the right time – glib, the right color, mouthing platitudes about unity, and behind the scenes in it up to his neck with the ‘ends justify the means’ left. Of course the media and the D party swooned. How could they lose? We are all Socialists now!
Now that he’s established a track record, all those 2008 advantages are obliterated, and he’s just another rich progressive celebrity. They’re a dime a dozen. And the D party is still very hard up for leadership.
Good post except for the part about “diverse thinkers”… in the Democrat party?
He’s not a leader, he’s s poser like Trudeau.
Bill Clinton, for all his many many faults, was a real leader.
Still not sure? Take a look at Obama’s work while he was at the Harvard Law Review. And don’t blink. …see what I mean?
He’s not taking on a leadership role because he doesn’t know how. Valerie Jarret is the one they should be asking for leadership, but she already has half of them scheduled for the second Purge
Great — a bunch of preening, embittered and utterly worthless Dumb-o-crat demagogues come to kiss the ring of St. Obama the Infallible, WPE.*
Perhaps St. Obama can provide tips to the Dumb-o-crat heirs-apparent on how to quash active DEA investigations into Hezb’allah’s multi-billion dollar U.S. cocaine-peddling operations.
* Worst President, Ever
I’m going write Hillary and beg her to run. She was robbed by Putin. And the MSM. And White Women. And the FBI. And by all those Nazis that just came and went.
The people drink secret toasts to her name. And unfurl bannings, praying for her return (GoT).
I’m telling ya, I’m only $5000 away from uncovering the scandal that will remove Trump from the White House.
No one can face evil alone. Your help is needed. VISA and MasterCard accepted.
at Go Fund Fen’s Vette.
Fen, you’re a hero! No one wants you to face evil alone and I’m sure these loyal readers will cough up enough money to finance the final step in your quest.
By the way, how’s that Vette project coming along?
Good stuff but given that collection of misfits its not crazy to think that HRC will take one more run at this.
Here’s hoping they take his advice.
Pokemon O’Biden and Fauxchahontas are a dream team. They can take turns being law professors, flunkys, stooges and certainly worth far more to America than America could ever imagine.
OMG! Biden and Fauxchahontas would be unbeatable. Just read “Secret Empires” by Schweizer to get some great vignettes on the great work Biden and son Hunter have done in China. It’ll bring tears to your eyes when you see the altruism of the father/son combo.
They need more cowbell.
Might as well
They’ve already cornered the market on bullish*t
I’m all in for Obama & Pelosi as the face of the demoncrat party. Throw in a side of the California nuts and that should just about wrap it up.
What a crew. Scanning that photo montage is stomach churning. My cut at the most to least repulsive:
1. McAuliffe – Warren is a liar and hypocrite but this guy is as corrupt as they come
2. Warren
3. Sanders
4 Cuomo
5. Gillibrand
6. Harris
7. Patrick
8. Booker
9. Brown (CA)
10. Biden – he’s just a dope
Falling into the “who?” category – Murphy and Brown (OH)
The Democrats complained that Obama would not take or return phone calls from them while he was in office. Why would he change his signature behavior, now? I would really like to know. It might be important.
A fake of a bozo lecturing other bozos.
Priceless.
Obama and the Left would like nothing better than to pick his successor regardless of what the primary process would produce.
Obongo should be proud of his legacy of building a fair but tough Demorat party that can take on all challengers. It should be easy for any combo on that list of WINNERS to take the presidency back in 2020.
Obama may think he’s still relevant, but whether the candidates agree with that assessment in another matter.
Sanders met with Obama in mid-March
If O’Bongo is the éminence grise of the D’rats … or even if he’s just a figurehead version … why would he meet with Sanders? Bernie the Red is not going to be the D’rat nominee. In fact, the Party has been putting major effort into wishing that the old communist will just go away. I can’t see that there could be anything for him and the Party to work out.
That is quite a steaming hot platter of Anti America, socialist, fascist, American citizens last to be serving up for consumption in 2020 Dems…well done …really doubling down on what you did in 2016 just the thing.