Obama reminds us of what a US president should sound like.
By Dean Obeidallah
"Former President Barack Obama delivered two online commencement addresses on Saturday that did more than offer words of inspiration for the graduates -- he reminded us of what a US President should sound like.
"In these two speeches -- one to those graduating from high schools and the other to those graduating from historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) -- he urged people to be selfless, to work together to help those in need and to reject divisiveness. What a contrast to Donald Trump's almost daily message of pitting Americans against each other, his lack of empathy and his trademark philosophy of "It's all about me."
"Obama is everything Trump will never be: Compassionate, thoughtful, intellectually curious, honest and highly intelligent. Obama's commencement speeches simply reminded of us that very fact."
"For starters, Obama didn't make his addresses about himself or his own grievances; his focus was on those graduating. What a contrast to Trump's 2017 commencement address to the US Coast Guard Academy where he told the graduates, "Look at the way I've been treated lately, especially by the media. No politician in history -- and I say this with great surety -- has been treated worse or more unfairly." To Trump, every day -- even your graduation day -- is about Trump.
"Beyond that, various statements from Obama's two speeches -- while not mentioning Trump by name -- were in my view a plea to reject Trumpism, which I define as a celebration of selfishness, bigotry, cruelty and divisiveness."
"Obama implored the high school graduates "to ground yourself in values that last, like honesty, hard work, responsibility, fairness, generosity, respect for others." When is the last time you heard Trump urge Americans to be generous or to "respect" others? Instead we see the opposite from him, as happened again over this weekend when Trump tweeted a video of his self-professed supporters yelling at and even cursing at a reporter who was covering an anti-lock down protest. These protesters were "great people," Trump wrote.
"In both graduation speeches, Obama urged people to work together for positive change in our nation. The former President told the high school grads, "build a community. No one does big things by themselves" while telling the high school students, "you can't do it alone. Meaningful change requires allies in common cause."
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8 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.By no means was Obama perfect. I don't think anyone thinks that. Bernie is not perfect either and was not electable. That is an unfortunate fact as my beliefs align with his more than any other candidate except for possibly Elizabeth Warren. What I loved about I
Obama was his ability to be a critical thinker, speak eloquently about what was happening in the world. He had a supple mind, was not one dimensional. I won't compare him to what we have now. There is no need. Loved Obama's speech and almost cried thinking about the nightmare we are living in now.
GreatNani
Level 8
May 18, 2020
1
Eisenhower, Kennedy and Reagan are much better examples to emulate.
PBuck0145
Level 7
May 17, 2020
3
WHY!!!???
@Rodatheist Unlike Obama, they were effective, great orators, and actively promoted world peace.
@PBuck0145 Kennedy: unsuccessfully invaded Bay of Pigs, emboldening Soviets to try and place missile bases in Cuba, leading to missile crisis and almost WW3; put "military advisers" in South Viet Nam, leading directly to thousands of American deaths and probably hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese, Laotian and Cambodian deaths as a consequence.
Reagan: responded to terrorist bombing of Marine barracks in Beirut by- invading Grenada, thus signalling to Hezbollah and other extremists that we would let them get away with it. Traded arms for hostages with Iran. Applauded Oliver North and William Casey's illegal war against the Sandanista regime in Nicaragua. Played both sides of Iran-Iraq war. Armed the Mujahideen in Afghanistan, which did not in any way come back to bite us in the ass.
I fail to see how either of them, especially Reagan, "actively promoted world peace". Kennedy at least didn't use rhetoric like "Evil Empire", he was a statesman. Reagan was a zealot.
I ding Obama over the drone program, which we wouldn't like if other countries used against our freedom fighters; but overall he was far more an active promoter of peace than Reagan.
Exactly. Well said.
@Paul4747 I could not have typed it better myself!!!
@Paul4747 Well said.
As Stephen Colbert said, "I miss George W. Bush." Compared with what we have today, even "W," the man who gave us, "Is our children educated?" appears more presidential!
p-nullifidian
Level 8
May 17, 2020
4
Any of the Three Stooges would appear more presidential!!!
@Rodatheist Moe for sure, he's brilliant by comparison, but Curly and Larry are 45's peers.
@p-nullifidian 45’s peers but way funnier and a lot less dangerous!!
45 has always been a racist piece of shit. Learned to be one at his daddy's knee.
Obama wasn't perfect, but any comparison of the two will always make 45 look like the gross incompetent that he is.
History will not treat 45 kindly. Or, for that matter, his idiot supporters.
Nor should it.
Fuck 45.
KKGator
Level 9
May 17, 2020
8
@TheInterlooper Truck Fump
I call Trump the Orange Turd.
Ben Carson is an Orange Turd kisser. Licker? Couldn't decide.
Sometimes I find myself thinking about what other POTUSs would say about Trump.
Consider Lincoln engaging with him. What oratory skills he wielded makes Trump appear truly toddler like.
I should like to see Hollywood explore this notion of presidential interactions and debates.
Sofabeast
Level 7
May 17, 2020
2
He speaks eloquently. It’s too bad he bailed out the banking industry and left homeowners bankrupt. Murdered civilians in the Middle East with unmanned drones. Expanded the immigration detention system and separated children from families—at least he stopped when he was caught! Repealed the executive order banning fossil fuel exports and facilitated the fracking revolution. Failed to close Guantanamo, expanded unwarranted surveillance, and reneged on his campaign promise to hold the Bush administration accountable for falsely leading the American public to invade Iraq, destabilize the world, killing and displacing millions. But he was eloquent about it all!
Bobbyzen
Level 8
May 17, 2020
2
Spoken like a Trumpster.
I read this and thought you were talking about Trump. After all, many are believing that Trump is "cleaning the swamp" by going after anyone in office before him. They even have enough guts to claim that the liar is a patriot. He almost makes me wanna stand at a ballgame and place my hand over my heart. That must be what patriots do. A good way of defending Trump is to talk about other people. Be sure and mention Hillary while you are at it because many Trumpers think both her and Obama will end up behind bars because of Donald Trump. I'm wondering when I should start laughing. Maybe I should have had a Hillary or Obama hat or flag. Thing is, I did an honorable tour of duty and do not wear hats or fly flags.
@LiterateHiker Or an impartial observer. There was much to like about Obama. He looks much better when compared to what we have now, for sure. Waaaay much better.
By the 2nd term, I thought he might have ended up a stop gap between futile government and something better.
After the 2nd term Hillary came along, I was looking at another stop gap measure.....
Anyway...
He cost me a LOT of money, and he did serve his masters well . The American People were secondary.
When it mattered the most he did not fight the RepublicanTs.....and that might be his truest legacy
Republicans vowed to make President Obama fail. They were the Party of No. Shame on them!
Racists, Republicans voted against every one of President Obama's initiatives.
@LiterateHiker I agree, they were awful and shameful.
@LiterateHiker Sadly, much of what @Bobbyzen is true. The abuses of Guantanamo were essentially overlooked and the jail remains, the drone strikes without a declaration of war, or even due process, were widely expanded, and the mass detention of immigrants were part of the Obama legacy. Justified criticism of our politicians is not only a right, but a duty.
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