Barack Obama promised supporters at a recent event in Berlin that he doesn’t plan on returning to politics — at least, he joked, not without divorce papers.
“I’ve held my last political office,” the former president said. “Michelle would leave me if I ever ran for office again.”
Headed for divorce?
Obama, who is now 57, made the joke during an address at an event in Germany sponsored by the Obama Foundation.
There, the former president spoke with “emerging European leaders” about inequality, nationalism, and climate change before promising that he remains “deeply invested” in promoting human rights, democracy, and equality.
But while his talk focused on typical leftist talking points, Obama pledged that his self-named foundation is “non-partisan.”
“I’m not here to support any political party,” he said.
Take a look:
Former President Barack Obama speaks at Obama Foundation in Berlin: “I’m not here to support any political party. I’ve held my last political office. The Obama Foundation is non-partisan. Michelle would leave me if I ever ran for office again.” pic.twitter.com/Tisq9PnVcq
— The Hill (@thehill) April 6, 2019
“Eight years is enough”
Democrats are desperate for a name to put up against President Donald Trump in 2020, and they think Michelle Obama would fit the bill. As such, during a recent media tour to promote her memoir, Becoming, the former first lady fielded repeated questions over whether she is planning a 2020 presidential bid.
For her part, Mrs. Obama has said she’s “not interested in politics.”
“What Barack and I talk about that we do miss…is the loss of anonymity,” Michelle Obama said on comedian Conan O’Brien’s podcast. “I don’t live a normal life. I used to.”
For this reason, the 55-year-old mother-of-two says that her family’s time in politics is up.
“Eight years is enough. It is enough,” she said. “It’s time for new ideas and people who’ve been in the Chipotle line, and people who are struggling in ways that, because of the nature of what we’ve done, we don’t do that anymore. We need fresh, real, clear eyes in this stuff. That’s why we’re investing our time in training the next leaders.”
Whatever the reason, it’s refreshing to hear we won’t have to endure another Obama White House. The first go-around was more than enough.
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