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Trump’s return to power — coupled with his efforts to dismantle what he calls the “deep state” and his push to hold liberal institutions accountable — has deeply unsettled Obama and his allies. They fear these moves could wipe out the Democrats’ next wave of leaders before they ever get their footing.
Obama is now scheduled to hit the campaign trail once again, lending his star power to embattled Democrats. His first stops include campaign events for Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey and Abigail Spanberger in Virginia — both moderates facing tough races.
That part comes easy for the two-term president. The bigger question, CNN noted, is what Obama plans to do after the rallies. According to over two dozen Democratic strategists and insiders familiar with his thinking, the former president is wrestling with how deeply he wants to re-enter day-to-day politics as Trump continues to dominate headlines and the political landscape.
Obama’s longtime friend and former Attorney General Eric Holder didn’t mince words about what’s at stake. He told CNN that Trump’s “harm is so profound that this calls for both a different approach generally, and a different involvement specifically by President Obama.”
Holder added, “If we are focused, if we’re willing to engage, if we are willing to do the work, the nation and our democracy can survive this. There will be damage done along the way — there’s no question about that. We won’t win every battle.”
Those remarks underscore just how alarmed Democratic leaders are about Trump’s influence — and how urgently they’re turning back to their old standard-bearer for help.
While Obama has publicly remained calm, reports suggest his patience with the party’s leadership has worn thin. Insiders say he never fully believed in Kamala Harris’s chances to win the presidency and foresaw Trump’s return long before most Democrats did.
Tensions reportedly boiled over this summer when Joe Biden abruptly exited the race and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi rushed to endorse Harris. Obama, according to ABC’s Jonathan Karl, was furious. In his upcoming book Retribution, Karl recounts that one insider summed up Obama’s reaction to Pelosi in blunt terms: “What the f*ck did you just do?”
That outburst, though crude, revealed a deeper frustration — Obama knew the Democrats were walking straight into a political disaster. His instincts, as usual, proved right. Harris went on to lose by a landslide.
Now, the former president seems determined to pick up the pieces. Whether it’s rebuilding the Democratic Party’s messaging or rallying voters against Trump, Obama is poised to once again become the face of liberal America — whether he likes it or not.
But one thing is clear: Barack Obama is no longer content to watch from the sidelines. The man who once symbolized “hope and change” now sees himself as the last line of defense against what he views as a dangerous second Trump era.
And if Democrats are counting on anyone to rescue their crumbling image, they know exactly who to call.
