Essayist's Plea: Speak Up, Obama

The headline of the essay by Mark Leibovich in the Atlantic poses a simple if loaded question: "Where is Barack Obama?" And Leibovich provides a somewhat scathing answer:

• "No matter how brazen [President] Trump becomes, the most effective communicator in the Democratic Party continues to opt for minimal communication. His 'audacity of hope' presidency has given way to the fierce lethargy of semi-retirement."

Yes, Obama chimes in periodically on political issues, but nowhere near enough to Leibovich's liking, given that "these are not normal times." And yes, there is a legitimate fear that having Obama speak up too much would "regularize" him, as fierce defender Eric Holder puts it. But Leibovich argues that "Obama's detachment feels jarringly incongruous with the desperation of his longtime admirers—even more so given Trump's assaults on what Obama achieved in office." The main problem, Leibovich writes, is that Obama's "post-presidency screams comfort and nonchalance at a time when so many other Americans are terrified." (Read the full essay.)