Former President Barack Obama is coming under mounting criticism for his post-presidency actions.
THe 55-year-old father-of-2 is breaking from tradition by setting up a virtual White House annex in the shadow of his former residence.
It is tradition for a former president to move away from Washington, D.C., and get on with his life.
Not only did Obama rent a mansion near the White House, but he moved his former senior adviser, Valerie Jarrett, into the mansion with him.
There are reports that Obama and Jarrett are conspiring to force President Donald Trump to resign or be impeached. If the reports are true, Obama’s plan borders on treason and is unprecedented for a former president.
According to a report on the Daily Beast blog, Obama tapped former Attorney General Eric Holder to lead a new focus group to help Democrats with redistricting efforts.
Narcissism notwithstanding, that sounds a lot like Obama is stepping back into politics — which former presidents aren’t supposed to do.
“For all the talk about Trump’s atypical behavior, the Obama camp’s unfolding machinations feel almost equally unprecedented,” the Daily Beast‘s Matt Lewis writes.
“The fact that Obama has decided to remain in Washington, D.C., is both unusual and symbolic.”
Lewis theorized that Obama’s history of ignoring traditions (and destroying his own party in the process) opened the door for an even more unlikely successor, President Donald Trump.
“By turning his term into a never-ending, eight-year campaign, Obama established a non-traditional presidency which begat an even more non-traditional president as his successor. He will open even more previously-locked doors by continuing his tradition of ignoring tradition.”
Photo of White House by Diego Cambiaso
Obama caricature by DonkeyHotey
