Democrats on Obama’s Return to Politics: There’s ‘No One Else’

Democrats are hailing former President Barack Obama’s return to the spotlight as long overdue as the Democratic Party struggles to find someone to lead the party through the 2018 midterms and the 2020 presidential election.

Democrats, who say they are growing tired of the Clintons, are looking to Obama to lead the party into election season as many other party leaders like former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) gear up for their own presidential bids in the 2020 election. But one strategist said Obama’s return to the national spotlight is more out of necessity because the party cannot find anyone else.

“There’s f—ing no one else,” one frustrated Democratic strategist told the Hill. “Bill Clinton is toxic, [former President] Carter is too old, and there’s no one else around for miles.”

Another Democratic loyalist said Obama should have returned to the national stage sooner, and his departure from the political circuit has affected Democrats’ ability to fundraise.

“He’s been way too quiet,” said one longtime Obama bundler who rarely criticizes the former president. “There are a lot of people who think he’s played too little a role or almost no role in endorsing or fundraising and he’s done jack shit in getting people to donate to the party.”

Despite criticism from Democrats about Obama being on the sidelines, Obama has wasted no time organizing the Democratic Party.

A report from Politico noted that Obama had been quietly meeting with potential Democratic presidential hopefuls gearing up for the 2020 election. Obama’s political action committee, Organizing for Action, is also assisting Democrats in 27 House races this year.

The former president also announced in March that he would like to create “a million” young leaders just like him to shape the human race.