The Nuanced Grace Of Barack Obama

Over the weekend, President Obama posted a note to his followers on Facebook with a reading list.

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by Ben Cohen

Over the weekend, President Obama posted a note to his followers on Facebook with a reading list. Amongst the topics on the list were articles on White Nationalism, the dire state of America’s prison system, and a critique of his own tax policy.

It was a sobering reminder of just how far America has fallen under Trump, and a lesson that good things do not come easily.

Here’s what the 44th President wrote:

I’ve always loved weekends because they provide me with a little extra time to make my way through the books and articles I’d been meaning to dig into. Here are a handful articles I’ve read over the past few weeks that stuck with me.

Now, I don’t always agree with every single thing that’s in them and, in fact, occasionally they contain things that are critical of my record as president. But one of the thing I strive toward is finding smart, thoughtful writing from people who have a different political perspective than I do. These stories further my understanding about some key public policy challenges — like the economy, technology, and criminal justice. They provoke me to think about problems in a new way. And they remind me about the urgency of certain issues that deserve more attention than they often receive.

So for anybody looking to be part of a solution, I hope these articles will give you some fresh perspectives — and I’ll keep them coming in the weeks ahead.

“How the Upper Middle Class Is Really Doing” in the New York Times by David Leonhardt: https://nyti.ms/2NryJ83

“White Nationalism’s Deep American Roots” in the Atlantic by Adam Serwer: https://bit.ly/2TQFlSU

“Keep It Simple and Take Credit” in Democracy: A Journal of Ideas by Jack Meserve: https://bit.ly/2ULlAO3

“Alabama’s Gruesome Prisons: Report Finds Rape and Murder at All Hours” in the New York Times by Katie Benner and Shaila Dewan: https://nyti.ms/2UuAWW8

“‘Change My View’ Reddit Community Launches Its Own Website” in WIRED by Arielle Pardes: https://bit.ly/2DjgPk3

The Art of Self Reflection

There’s a common theme in the pieces posted by Obama. They are all about confronting difficult truths. From the Democrat’s inability to connect powerfully with voters, to virulent racism that still persists in American society, Obama’s reading list is a call to self examination and dialogue.

While Obama was challenging himself and his followers to hold themselves to high standards and seek self improvement, the current president was at a MAGA rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin, telling his supporters that Democrats were encouraging the execution of babies, calling the media “sick people”, and attacking the deceased John McCain for preventing the repeal of Obamacare and booting 16 million people off of their insurance plans. .

“We should’ve had health care,” Trump said. “But one man decided to vote against it.”

The contrast could not have been starker. One President encourages his followers to grapple with views they might not agree with, while the other attacks a dead man and accuses liberals of engaging in infanticide.

Yet this is the man America chose to lead them after 8 years of a scandal free administration, a hugely improved global image, and an economy that had turned around after the biggest financial crisis in 80 years.

Listen, Learn and Engage

Obama was not a perfect President by any means, but his willingness to listen, learn and engage in serious self criticism was what stood out about him. It enabled him to adapt as a Commander in Chief, to navigate a political system built on keeping black people like himself out of it, and to succeed in steering the country towards a brighter future. Obamacare was not passed by itself, and neither was the extensive environmental regulation he passed, or the huge investments his administration made into science and research. Obama had to engage with his political opponents, learn from them, confront them when necessary, and ultimately work with them to get his legislation passed.

Obama’s extraordinary intellect was not simply a product of his genetics. It was also a product of his humility and curiosity — attributes that are developed over time with discipline and patience. Obama never assumed he knew more than anyone else, and took great pains to reach out to those he disagreed with.

Trump, on the other hand, shut down the federal government for 35 days (the longest period ever) due to a fake emergency he created to appease his fanatically racist base. He refused to negotiate with the Democrats in good faith and destroyed public confidence in the ability of their government to act in the best interests of its citizens. Trump always assumes he knows more than everyone else, and takes great pains to let everyone know this.

A Path Towards Healing

During the 2008 election, pollsters and pundits routinely urged Obama to play dirty in order to beat Hillary Clinton and John McCain. He steadfastly refused to engage in the same politics his vastly more experienced foes did, and came close to losing against both. But he ultimately won, and did so without compromising his ethical code.

Obama sees the danger in Trump, but also understands that while beating him at his own game and humiliating his followers would feel good, it is not the way to win. The left must not allow Trump to define the rules or characterize the political system with his own atrocious behavior.

Obama clearly still believes that America can heal from the horrors of this administration, but he is asking his followers to face difficult problems instead of pretending they do not exist. He is asking them to look at their faults, challenge their assumptions, and listen to those they disagree with. By posting articles critical of his own policies, he is doing the opposite of what the current president does: leading by example.

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