Former President Barack Obama expressed his concern over the current state of political discussions in 2024, stating that we are living in a “cynical era.” He mentioned finding comfort in watching sports instead. According to The Hill, Obama shared his thoughts during a high-profile Biden campaign event in Los Angeles, where he spoke to a group of around 80 digital content creators from platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Obama acknowledged the difficulties that “influencers” encounter when trying to steer clear of political topics in their content.
“We live in a cynical time,” Obama said. “Let’s face it: I think a lot of the people who watch you, listen to you, who are fans of you — a lot of times they feel turned off by the political discourse.”
“I get it,” he continued. “You know, I frankly watch sports, mostly. Because it feels like everything is slash and burn.”
Obama, although hesitant to involve himself in present-day politics, proceeded to advocate for Biden and provide his support, encouraging his listeners to pay attention to the elderly Democrat’s message. Despite being 19 years younger than Biden, Obama recognized that many young, progressive individuals have doubts about Biden — yet he contended that their values align, even though Biden is criticized for potentially lacking the physical capacity to fulfill his official responsibilities.
Biden freezes before Obama grabs his arm and leads him off stage. Yikes! 😳 pic.twitter.com/nCgAGitoQ6
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 16, 2024
“Joe Biden, you may not agree with everything he does,” Obama said. “By the way, you didn’t agree with everything I did. And that’s OK. Because in a big, messy, complicated country like this, there are going to be disagreements.”
“But Joe Biden’s basic trajectory — what he believes in his core,” he continued. “Nine times out of 10, he’s going to make decisions that accord with your core beliefs.”
Obama motivated the innovators to move beyond their disagreements and discover shared interests. He further advised them to utilize their platforms to support the president, as reported by the Hill.
“I need you guys to use your influence, and it doesn’t have to be boring. I don’t expect you to have a bunch of charts and graphs,” Obama said. “I understand folks are swiping or scrolling, and you’ve got to use humor and you’ve got to use other things that are engaging people.”
