In a new podcast interview with Brian Tyler Cohen, former President Barack Obama made a sharp comment about Trump’s authoritarian behavior, showing how his own approach was different from what’s happening now.
Imagining an alternate reality, Obama said matter-of-factly: “When I was president of the United States, I suppose I could have simply unilaterally ordered the military to go into some red state and harass and intimidate a governor there or cut off funding for states that didn’t vote for me.
“I could have exercised that prerogative, but that is contrary to how I think our democracy is supposed to work. And I think we shouldn’t get discouraged by the fact that we have a tougher job. What we should do is expect that our side is smart enough to figure it out.”
Obama’s calm and thoughtful response reminds us that presidents shouldn’t use the military or federal funds against political opponents.
But Trump is doing exactly that by threatening to take away disaster aid from blue states, sending troops into the country, and punishing governors who don’t agree with him.
The difference between these two styles of leadership is very clear.
Obama’s words act like a final statement, showing how hypocritical it is for a leader who claims to love America to treat it like his own personal territory. This is the kind of leadership we used to have, compared to the mess we’re dealing with now.
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