Ten years after they closed the doors of the White House behind them, politics is still not letting go of the Obamas. On the contrary. The constant call for Barack’s leadership, especially with the ongoing chaos surrounding Donald Trump in the background, weighs heavily on their private lives.
Karen Van Eyken
Journalist at HLN
You might think that a former president would be allowed to enjoy his retirement after a while, but for Barack Obama it is a bit more complex. For many Democrats, he is still that trusted, reasonable compass in turbulent times. And for the right, with his successor Donald Trump in the lead, he remains the ultimate red rag to a bull.
In a particularly candid conversation with ‘The New Yorker’, Obama was very honest about this. He talked about how in the beginning he really thought that the American Constitution would keep someone like Trump in line. But that illusion quickly disappeared. When Trump came up with controversial plans, everyone immediately looked to Obama. The supporters were longing for his voice, for a powerful counter-narrative.
That is precisely where his sense of duty and his private life collide. The endless pleas to take on the role of the party’s conscience – from voicing campaign commercials to saving election campaigns – are weighing heavily on his marriage. “That really causes tension in our home,” he admitted candidly.
Michelle is gradually getting fed up. “It frustrates her,” Obama said. There is no marital crisis, he explained, but there is conflicting expectations. Michelle was often criticized during their stay in the White House and saw firsthand what the heavy pressure did to their daughters, Sasha and Malia. She just wants peace now. “She wants me to slow down,” Barack said. “That we have time for each other and simply enjoy the years we have left.”
He resolutely refuses to become any sort of commentator. “If I start analyzing the issues of the day every week, like Jon Stewart – who does a fantastic job by the way – then I am no longer a leader, but an opinion maker,” he reasons.
But ironically, it is precisely this work in the shadows that sometimes causes resentment within his own party. Some progressives think he sits too much on the sidelines.
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