Posted on 07/04/2023 1:08:00 PM PDT by SoConPubbie
On Thursday, former President Barack Obama complained the frivolous indictment against 45th President and leading 2024 presidential candidate Donald Trump doesn’t disqualify him from running for President in 2024.
During an interview on CNN’s “News Central,” host Amanpour said, “The spectacle of a former president being federally indicted. How is the rest of the world, the democratic world, maybe even the non-democratic world meant to interpret that indictment and indeed the fact that a federal indictee is running, is able to run for the highest office in the land, maybe even the world?”
Obama on Trump Indictment: 'Nobody is above the law'
“It’s less than ideal. But the fact that we have a former president who is having to answer to charges brought by prosecutors does uphold the basic notion that nobody is above the law. And the allegations will now be sorted out through a court process,” Obama said.
“And I think I’m more concerned when it comes to the United States with the fact that not just one particular individual is being accused of undermining existing laws, but that more broadly we’ve seen, whether it’s through the gerrymandering of districts, whether it’s trying to silence critics through changes in legislative process, whether it’s attempts to intimidate the press, a strand of anti-democratic sentiment that we’ve seen in the United States,” Obama added.
“It’s something that is right now most prominent in the Republican Party, but I don’t think it’s something that is unique to one party. I think there is less tolerance for ideas that don’t suit us. And it’s sort of the habits of a free and open exchange of ideas and the idea that we all agree to the rules of the game, and even if the outcomes aren’t always the ones we like, we still abide by those rules,” he continued.
“I think that’s weakened since I left office, and we’re gonna need to strengthen them again,” he said.
“What happens if Donald Trump wins again? It’s said that the institutional guard rails of American democracy were strong enough to survive a one term presidency. Are they strong enough to survive if that kind of person - personality - wins again?” Amanpour asked.
“I won’t speculate on the outcome of a future election. Obviously, I’m a Democrat. I’ve got a deep interest in the outcome,” Obama said.
“But I’ll make a general statement which is, having been President of the United States; you need a President who takes the oath of office seriously. You need a President who believes not just in the letter but the spirit of Democracy,” he added.
“The essential spirit of Democracy is that as President of the United States, you are just one representative of the people in the series of co-equal branches. There are checks and balances to the system. You are subject to those checks and balances. You cannot ignore them. You cannot make your own rules,” he continued.
“You cannot view the Justice Department as your personal law firm. You cannot ignore norms and guard rails that have been put in place to assure that your self interest isn’t what drives institutions but rather, the American people. If you have anybody that is occupying that office that disregards that higher purpose, then you’re going to have problems,” he said.
Earlier this month, Trump pleaded not guilty to all 37 fraudulent counts relating to him supposedly “mishandling” classified documents from Special Counsel Jack Smith.
President Trump has turned Jack Smith’s frivolous federal indictment of him on its head -- citing the Presidential Records Act as a defense.
The Presidential Records Act is a 1978 law that allows presidents to decide what records to keep and take, regardless of what the National Archives and Records Administration thinks.
It’s too bad Obomination will never be indicted!
And I am still voting for President Trump....again.
Why Barry? Because it serves as a protection by lessening the incentives for corrupt political prosecutions... like now.
Hey Obama, you phony. An “indictment” is an accusation. stupid. Accusations are a dime a dozen, Dork, and you’re innocent until proven guilty. Obama still thinks accusations are convictions. How stupid. Get a clue Obama.
“Nobody is above the law”, except of course Obama.
I can’t even read that puke. Never mind listen to ‘it’.
his spirit
of democracy
is kymer Rouge hutuism
Pol pot idi amin
I thought Amanpour had finally been retired.
There she is, condescending and smug entonations as always.
Hey, Indonesian Kenyan, it’s called the Constitution, something you Democrats don’t anything about.
Why not? Statutes of limitation are merely rules created by rich white men to benefit rich white men. We need to get rid of all statutes of limitation. (/sarc)
And everybody acts like he’s some kind of geniuS?
Democrats so concerned about this kind of thing...
Marion. Barry.
/mic drop
<< “whether it’s through the gerrymandering of districts, whether it’s trying to silence critics through changes in legislative process, whether it’s attempts to intimidate the press, a strand of anti-democratic sentiment that we’ve seen in the United States,” Obama added. >>
Projectionpalooza.
How can someone run for president and not show proof of citizenship???
Well, now those that either did not know, or chose not to see, who’s doing the nasty to this country.
You bet he’s upset. Maybe a return of Trump will bring some heat to Barack Hussein.
Says the President who used the FBI to spy on his enemies.
I think we ought to get a GOFUNDME going for all the cocaine that Obama wants. He and Hunter can snort it up 24x7. Bring it to them by the truckload.
The arrogance of that dickweed is unbelievable.
We still don’t know the history or pedigree of that a’hole other than he was not eligible to assume the presidency in the first place, as he is not a NBC.
The real villans in the ensuing destruction of our country is what we laughingly refer to as “congress”. Not one of our ‘elected officails’ insisted on vetting obama...not one.
Disgraceful..
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