Obama slams – Former President Barack Obama used a Chicago reception for the Obama Presidential Center to slam institutions he says have surrendered to a money- and fame-first mindset, arguing that it drowns out everyday voices doing the right thing. The remarks came as he
Barack Obama arrived with a message meant to land hard—and it did.
On Tuesday afternoon. the former president and Michelle Obama spoke at a stakeholder reception ahead of the opening ceremony for the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. Standing in a setting designed to celebrate history and ideals. Obama instead turned the spotlight toward what he sees as a shift in American institutions: a willingness to trade values for attention. status. and money.
He began by praising the work ethic and family-first mindsets of Michelle Obama’s parents. including “a former secretary and pump operatpt. ” to whom some of the areas and exhibits in the Presidential Center are dedicated. “They represent to me what’s best about this country and what’s best about our values. ” Obama said of her parents. “People who aren’t trying to get every last nickel and aren’t cutting corners when it comes to values and treat people high and low with respect and kindness and handle their business. just salt of the earth. bedrock people. There are people like that all across the South Side of Chicago. and there are people like that all across this great country of ours. and their voices are not heard.”.
He didn’t name Donald Trump. But the thrust of his argument was unmistakable: Obama went after the institutions he believes have “caved” to the logic driving the current administration’s priorities—even if he framed it without pointing directly at the president.
“We’ve got a set of institutions that have fallen victim to the siren song of ‘everything is about money and everything is about attention and everything is about fame and everything is about getting over. ‘” Obama said. “But meanwhile. there are just a lot of people out here doing the right thing and raising their families and taking care of people.”.
That was the emotional center of the remarks—the contrast between a national noise machine built around money and attention, and the quieter work of people who, in Obama’s telling, keep their focus on family, respect, and responsibility.
The criticism fits into a broader pattern of Obama’s recent commentary on Trump. The former president has often targeted what he calls Trump’s actions without directly calling Trump out by name. Most recently, Obama “hammer[ed] the president’s alleged Iran Deal” during an appearance on ABC over the weekend.
Barack Obama Michelle Obama Obama Presidential Center Chicago Donald Trump institutions money attention fame Iran Deal ABC
So basically Obama is salty about attention? lol.
Wait, did he actually say “Trump” or not? Cause the headline says one thing but the article kinda dances around it. I get the message though, money and fame is all we do now.
This is why I can’t listen to politics for long. He’s talking about institutions “caving” but then it’s like… he’s praising family members and a pump operator? like what does that have to do with Chicago opening ceremonies? Feels random.
Obama always says he’s not calling Trump out, but he does the exact same thing every time. Also “fame-first logic”?? Trump didn’t invent attention, it’s like the news has been like this forever. Maybe the exhibit dedicated to a secretary and pump operator is where he hides the real argument. I dunno, I’m just tired.