Obama goes political? So what?

Alyssa Pointer / alyssa.pointer@ajc.com

Right-wing media have been having the time of their lives chastising former President Obama over the nature of his eulogy in memory of the legendary civil rights leader, the late John Lewis.

The 44th president was just too damn political in that moment, they say. To which I respond: Big … deal! So what?

Obama is getting set to join former Vice President Joe Biden in the effort to unseat Donald Trump in November. That has been known for a long time.

So, the former president weighed in during his time saluting John Lewis to remind the nation of the damage being done by the Trump administration to the very institution — voting rights — that Lewis sought to build and strengthen. He pointed out correctly how “those in power at this moment” are seeking to suppress the rights of African-Americans and other minorities. It would have been horrible in the extreme for Obama or any of the other eulogists to ignore that real-time reality.

In fact, though, Obama’s remarks weren’t in any way out of bounds. They sought to honor the legacy that John Lewis left after dying this past week of cancer at the age of 80. Indeed, Lewis shed blood on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965 while marching on behalf of voting rights and human rights.

And while we’re on the subject of political speeches — and please forgive this dose of “what about-ism” — can you imagine Donald Trump eulogizing a politician without tossing out a barrage of political epithets? In an election year, no less?

The right-wing media pundits are entitled to their opinions, for sure. I get that and I honor the U.S.  Constitution that provides them their liberty to speak their mind.

Their right-wingers’ criticism of President Barack H. Obama in this context, however, is off base.

3 thoughts on “Obama goes political? So what?”

  1. You’ve got pretty good at justifying anything the left does. What about his statement it’s to dangerous to stand in a crowd to vote while speaking to a crowd? I was paraphrasing. I don’t have the exact statement in front of me.

    It’s also sad that my family can’t have a funeral, but hundreds can attend Lewis’. I’m not saying he doesn’t deserve a good memorial. But so does any other American.

    1. Why can’t your family have a funeral?

      It’s not as though funerals *require* exhaling water vapor droplets on one another (look at all the people in the photo wearing masks and sitting distant from each other while attending a funeral).

  2. Doesn’t even deserve a response if you haven’t been following what has been banned across the country.

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