Much time and effort have been spent speculating over what Barack and Michelle will do in retirement. A few weeks ago, we noted one theory that Obama was plotting the launch of his very own "fake news" media empire (see "Obama TV: Is Obama Planning A "Fake News" Outlet Of His Own?"). Despite ruling it out several times, many have also wondered whether Michelle will follow in Hillary's footsteps and run for public office. Or, perhaps they will just take the easy way out and start a "charity" that they use as front to personally enrich themselves with massive donations from Wall Street and controversial foreign dictators.
While you can never rule any of the options above out, President Obama told NPR that he'll spend his time in retirement trying to "rehabilitate" the Democratic Party by becoming a "recruiting scout" for young talent.
President Obama sees a role for himself in rebuilding the Democratic Party after he leaves office — coach.
"What I am interested in is just developing a whole new generation of talent," Obama told NPR's Steve Inskeep in an interview on Morning Edition.
"There are such incredible young people who not only worked on my campaign, but I've seen in advocacy groups," Obama said. "I've seen passionate about issues like climate change, or conservation, criminal justice reform. You know, campaigns to — for a livable wage, or health insurance. And making sure that whatever resources, credibility, spotlight that I can bring to help them rise up. That's something that I think I can do well, I think Michelle can do well."
Of course, as NPR points out, Democrats will have their work cut out for them after two cycles of devastating defeats that have left Republicans with majorities in the House and Senate, 33 out of 50 governor seats and complete control of governors' offices and state legislatures in 25 states compared to only 6 states for democrats.
They'll have their work cut out for them. Republicans will control the House, Senate and White House when President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in Jan. 20. That's a reversal of the situation Obama found himself in when he took office eight years ago — the peak of massive Democratic electoral gains at the end of the Bush administration.
And on the state level, Republicans head into 2017 with 33 out of 50 governors — more than in nearly 100 years. The GOP will have complete control of the governors' offices and state legislatures in 25 states, while Democrats will hold complete control in just six states. Republicans solidified gains that started in 2010 by drawing favorable congressional and statehouse districts in many states during the redistricting process.
Democrats find themselves in a deep hole after an election that most party officials expected to win.
Meanwhile, echoing comments he's made before, Obama noted that the 2016 election wasn't a rejection of failed Democratic policies...
Obama told NPR that he disagreed with suggestions the party should change its policy platforms, instead attributing losses to messaging and strategy.
"I don't think there's something wrong with the core argument that the Democratic Party has made for years," the president said. "And the reason we know that is because on the individual issues that Democrats talk about there's strong support. For example, the minimum wage. In every survey across the country, people support a higher minimum wage. There are clearly, though, failures on our part to give people in rural areas or in ex-urban areas, a sense day-to-day that we're fighting for them or connected to them."
The president said his party has "ceded too much territory" to Republicans in local races. "I am a proud Democrat," he said, "but I do think that we have a bias towards national issues and international issues."
...but rather, a failure of Hillary to visit a sufficient number of "VFW halls and at fish fries" in the Midwest.
As he's done before, though, Obama also faulted Democrats for failing to compete — or even show up, at times — in rural areas. He talked about campaigning in rural Illinois while running for Senate and making repeated visits to Republican-friendly corners of Iowa during the 2008 campaign, "and just sitting down in people's living rooms and VFW halls and at fish fries and listening to people."
"Which meant that in 2012," the president continued, "I might still lose the overall vote and some of these counties or some of these voting districts but I might lose 55-45 or 60-40, rather than 80-20."
We wish Mr. Obama the very best in finding new Democratic "talent" willing to peddle all the same policies adopted by he and Hillary over the past 8 years but roundly rejected by voters just over a month ago...we hope his efforts serve the democratic party well.