Summary

Barack Obama sharply criticized Donald Trump’s presidency during a speech at Hamilton College, condemning attacks on the press, immigration crackdowns, and threats to civil liberties.

He called it “unimaginable” that Trump’s actions—such as barring the AP and threatening law firms—would have been tolerated under past presidents.

Obama warned that Trump’s behavior, though “goofy,” poses real danger, and he labeled Trump a “wannabe dictator.”

He also referenced former Trump aide John Kelly’s “fascist” remark and urged Americans not to mistake chaos for leadership.

  • OrteilGenou@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    Good, start the campaign now so that if Trump somehow crowbars in a law that allows him to run for a third term Obama can bury him

    • HubertManne@piefed.social
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      2 months ago

      I don’t see that as a fix. A third term for either would be a higher level constitutional crisis than all the many ones trump has already initiated. Many failed like with his first impeachment for misappropriating federal funds to bribe a foreign official.

      • PattyMcB@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Besides the fact that Trump has already telegraphed a possible plan to allow for three terms only if they’re non-consecutive.

        • HubertManne@piefed.social
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          2 months ago

          I mean thats great but it should not be allowed any more than any presidential law break is allowed. The solution is not to go with it and also do it.

      • Nougat@fedia.io
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        2 months ago

        The only reason we have a 22nd amendment is because the shitheels were mad they didn’t get a turn. They could have stopped being shitheels, but that’s just out of the question.

        • HubertManne@piefed.social
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          2 months ago

          Its something they should have put into the original consitution. They were never supposed to be careers. Given the terms of the various branches they should have maxed 12 years in any federal role besides judicial and that should have had a retirement cut off of 60.

      • freely1333@reddthat.com
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        2 months ago

        Everyone assumes Obama would easily win. I don’t think that’s a foregone conclusion. It would just make the third term fully legitimized.

        • YarHarSuperstar@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          I mean… Are we also forgetting that Obama himself was not exactly the best president ever? If we’re keeping any part of this system we probably don’t want an establishment Democrat who bombed a LOT of people running the country when we need a transition away from regressive, non-people centered (aka non-solution focused, non-evidence based, non-need-meeting, etc) policy and systems to using methods that are responsible and effective and center harm reduction/prevention and meeting needs as priority goals and establishing a way of doing things that better represents (and identifies and acknowledges and strives to meet) the actual needs of people.