Former President Barack Obama has been accused by his biographer of “talking down” to voters and employing “tone-deaf and clueless” rhetoric that ultimately damaged Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign efforts. In an interview with the Daily Mail, author David Garrow claimed that Obama’s rhetoric, along with Trump’s decisive victory in the election, has reduced Obama to “Bill Clinton levels” of political relevance.
“People do not want to be talked down to, no matter who they are,” Garrow said. “I thought it was tone-deaf and clueless for them to preach as they did.”
Garrow, who authored Rising Star: The Making of Barack Obama in 2017 and is a Pulitzer Prize winner, predicted that Obama’s influence has waned significantly, placing him on par with Bill Clinton in terms of political relevance. He also predicted that both the former president and his wife Michelle would likely disappear from the political scene.
Furthermore, Garrow claimed that Obama is still concerned about his legacy, especially after Trump's recent victory.
“He has been and remains extremely concerned and nervous about his historical legacy,” Garrow added. “That has certainly taken a big hit with Trump once again triumphing.”
Trump’s victory highlighted his increased support among voter groups that Obama once counted on, including significant gains among non-white voters, particularly black and Hispanic men. Garrow predicted that the Democratic Party might no longer see a role for the Obamas in future campaigns.
“The conclusion for Democrats is that they've got to dispense with these people from the past, including Hillary Clinton too, and move to a new generation of figures who are not in the AOC club at all,” Garrow argued.
Despite this, Garrow acknowledged that Obama’s status as a former president still affords him a level of celebrity appeal, especially in the context of lucrative speaking engagements. “I'm not sure that would necessarily decline. He still has the celebrity factor of being an ex-president,” Garrow remarked.
In the lead-up to the election, Obama drew criticism for comments he made concerning black men in Pennsylvania. Obama pointed out that voter energy and turnout in certain communities were much lower than when he was on the ballot, attributing it in part to sexism and the belief that male voters are not “feeling the idea of having a woman as president.”
