Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

How Trump’s Election Shook Obama: ‘What if We Were Wrong?’
NY Times ^ | May 30, 2018 | Peter Baker

Posted on 05/31/2018 7:00:16 AM PDT by COUNTrecount

WASHINGTON — Riding in a motorcade in Lima, Peru, shortly after the 2016 election, President Barack Obama was struggling to understand Donald J. Trump’s victory.

“What if we were wrong?” he asked aides riding with him in the armored presidential limousine.

He had read a column asserting that liberals had forgotten how important identity was to people and had promoted an empty cosmopolitan globalism that made many feel left behind. “Maybe we pushed too far,” Mr. Obama said. “Maybe people just want to fall back into their tribe.”

His aides reassured him that he still would have won had he been able to run for another term and that the next generation had more in common with him than with Mr. Trump. Mr. Obama, the first black man elected president, did not seem convinced. “Sometimes I wonder whether I was 10 or 20 years too early,” he said.

In the weeks after Mr. Trump’s election, Mr. Obama went through multiple emotional stages, according to a new book by his longtime adviser Benjamin J. Rhodes. At times, the departing president took the long view, at other points, he flashed anger. He called Mr. Trump a “cartoon” figure who cared more about his crowd sizes than any particular policy. And he expressed rare self-doubt, wondering whether he had misjudged his own influence on American history.

Set to be published next week by Random House, Mr. Rhodes’s memoir, “The World as It Is,” offers a peek into Mr. Obama’s tightly sealed inner sanctum from the perspective of one of the few people who saw him up close through all eight years of his presidency. Few moments shook Mr. Obama more than the decision by voters to replace him with a candidate who had questioned his very birth.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: benrhodes; benrhodesbook; hillarylost; narcissist; obamalegacy
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-26 next last
Damage control,too late.

Ben Rhodes: [paraphrased] I don’t understand! We colluded with everyone - Russia, the MSM, Soros, the FBI, and the CIA for God's sake!... and we still lost! I just don’t understand how this could happen!

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/02/07/more-texts-between-strzok-and-page-uncovered-lead-to-more-questions.html

Newly revealed text messages between FBI paramours Peter Strzok and Lisa Page include an exchange about preparing talking points for then-FBI Director James Comey to give to President Obama, who wanted “to know everything we’re doing."

1 posted on 05/31/2018 7:00:16 AM PDT by COUNTrecount
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: COUNTrecount

All Obama did was cater to identity politics.


2 posted on 05/31/2018 7:02:52 AM PDT by PghBaldy (12/14 - 930am -rampage begins... 12/15 - 1030am - Obama's advance team scouts photo-op locations.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: COUNTrecount

“What if we were too early trying to take over with 100% socialism?”

That’s exactly what they are implying.

They have infiltrated all level of the government, and schools, and thought they were ready to finish it.

He is probably correct- another 10 years of the same and we might have been too far gone for a Trump to come in an tear down what they tried to do.


3 posted on 05/31/2018 7:04:10 AM PDT by Mr. K (No consequence of repealing Obamacare is worse than Obamacare itself.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: COUNTrecount
He had read a column asserting that liberals had forgotten how important identity was to people and had promoted an empty cosmopolitan globalism that made many feel left behind. “Maybe we pushed too far,” Mr. Obama said. “Maybe people just want to fall back into their tribe.”

What a steaming pile of BS. The Dems depend on identity politics to win elections.

4 posted on 05/31/2018 7:04:39 AM PDT by kabar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mr. K

We’ve been given a temporary reprieve.


5 posted on 05/31/2018 7:06:23 AM PDT by GSWarrior
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: COUNTrecount

Great be ALL credit to Trump and his brilliant campaign against ALL ODDS
And all kinds of lies subterfuge cheating spying and fraud
It all came down to PA WI MI AND FL
he allocated resources correctly
Flew around doing three campaign appearances
It’s a miracle yes but ONLY
because the love this’s great man has


6 posted on 05/31/2018 7:06:25 AM PDT by Truthoverpower (The guvmint you get is the Trump winning express !)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mr. K

In a way, we are lucky McCain and Romney lost. In a way we are lucky Obama beat them.


7 posted on 05/31/2018 7:06:36 AM PDT by Democrats hate too much
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: COUNTrecount

“His aides reassured him that he still would have won had he been able to run for another term and that the next generation had more in common with him than with Mr. Trump”

CERTIFIABLE


8 posted on 05/31/2018 7:07:08 AM PDT by SMARTY ("Nearly all men can stand adversity...to test a man's character, give him power." A. Lincoln)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: COUNTrecount
He called Mr. Trump a “cartoon” figure who cared more about his crowd sizes than any particular policy.
_________________________________________________

Guess he forgot about his stadium full of people and all the columns.....This is all horseshit....

9 posted on 05/31/2018 7:07:49 AM PDT by Hogblog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: COUNTrecount
Forgot the barf alert:

10 posted on 05/31/2018 7:08:00 AM PDT by SERKIT ("Blazing Saddles" explains it all.......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: COUNTrecount

obozo’s legacy: ffffaaaaadddiiinnnggg aawwaaaayyyyy.........


11 posted on 05/31/2018 7:09:13 AM PDT by freedumb2003 (robert mueller is an unguided missile)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: COUNTrecount

“What if we were wrong?”

He’s not one that’s likely to accept fault. More likely he said “you”.


12 posted on 05/31/2018 7:09:20 AM PDT by rightwingcrazy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kabar

Maybe people just want to fall back into their tribe.


Trump uses “Tribe”, and the MSM would explode. Barry O, no problem....


13 posted on 05/31/2018 7:10:18 AM PDT by patriotspride
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: COUNTrecount

No one with 1/2 a brain believes Obama questioned his take on the American people. He knew from the beginning he stood against the American voter. This is pure poppycock.


14 posted on 05/31/2018 7:15:55 AM PDT by Louis Foxwell (Islam is Satans finest work.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: COUNTrecount

The tone of the book sounds a bit breathy, like a romance novel.


15 posted on 05/31/2018 7:17:27 AM PDT by lurk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Louis Foxwell

I agree.


16 posted on 05/31/2018 7:19:16 AM PDT by Jane Austen (Neo-cons are liberal Democrats who love illegal aliens and war.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: rightwingcrazy

Agreed.


17 posted on 05/31/2018 7:22:58 AM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: COUNTrecount
He had read a column asserting that liberals had forgotten how important identity was to people and had promoted an empty cosmopolitan globalism that made many feel left behind. “Maybe we pushed too far,” Mr. Obama said. “Maybe people just want to fall back into their tribe.”

Who do these elitist pricks think they are? Who gave them the right to take away our individuality for their pipe dream of globalism?

Why do I have to give up my 'tribe' based on someone elses' unproven theory that it will make the world a better place?

Stripping everyone of their group identity won't make anyone happy. It will make them angry and resentful.

Rebellion, civil war, bloodshed to follow.

18 posted on 05/31/2018 7:24:41 AM PDT by yesthatjallen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: COUNTrecount

Consider this sentence from the article:

“Mr. Obama did not impose sanctions on Russia in retaliation for the meddling before the election because he believed it might prompt Moscow into hacking into Election Day vote tabulations.”

Rhodes is ADMITTING that they know that election results (most of which are tabulated on Soros-owned voting machines) can be hacked! We have got to get back to paper ballots.


19 posted on 05/31/2018 7:30:17 AM PDT by Piranha (Power is not only what you have but what the enemy thinks you have - Saul Alinsky)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: COUNTrecount

If Trump had said “...fall back into their tribe” we’d still be hearing about it.


20 posted on 05/31/2018 7:33:32 AM PDT by I want the USA back (Leftism is an elaborate system for hiding shame behind a cheap mash of virtue. -Klavan.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-26 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson