I’m thinking after the transfer of power has occurred, Jan. 21st, or so.
A week later, Barack and Michelle show up, arms linked with the Dakota Access Pipeline protesters, thing is, they have their Secret Service Bubble intact. What happens when the rubber bullets, water canons, and pepper spray fly?
I suspect the Secret Service would politely encourage the President to quit breaking the law and obey the lawful orders of the police, well before water cannons and rubber bullets became an issue
Fair enough, who and how, exactly, is someone going to make this case to a two term president and constitutional scholar, whilst sitting in a teepee outside of Flatass North Dakota?
Ex-Presidents don’t do that sort of thing because:
I doubt Obama is going to be marching on any protests or picket lines unless things get really bad. He’s more the “pointed remark” type. But if he did, the police would probably be more circumspect anyway given the vast number of world media who are also going to be present.
Ex-Presidents can speak out all they want, write op-eds, that sort of thing, but actively resisting the law being carried out would pretty much expose them as frauds given their oath of office. Ex-Presidents want to be viewed favorably by history.
Now marching in a protest, exercising 1st amendment rights, that’s fine. Civil disobedience is not really where a President should go, and no ex-President would put the Secret Service in a position of having to defend him from local authorities acting lawfully to make the ex-President cease his disobedience.
John Tyler became a Confederate Congressman after he left the presidency. Showing up at a protest rally is nothing in comparison.
I’d prefer to see him go on the Sunday talk shows every week and point out all the faults with his unworthy successor. For eight years, he has endured the slings and arrows of the disgusting likes of McCain, Gi911ani, Ayotte, Gingrich, and a host of others come on week after week and equate his every move with the collapse of civilization. It’s time he returned the favor.
Yeah, but you know who didn’t attack Barack Obama? George W Bush. Let Biden do that work, especially since he might run. Let Obama retire with dignity and speak only when he really feels strongly about something.
Obama could maintain a dignified stance until his wife runs for president, wins, and appoints him to SCOTUS.
Because George W Bush faded from the limelight instantly. And, frankly, had absolutely no reason to attack Obama.
You cannot forget that Trump is different. He is evil. Neither Bush nor Obama were. I’m not even sure that we’ve had an evil president, even with what people say about Jackson.
But Trump is evil. And thus, it is more likely that Obama may have a need to be good and combat him. That’s what it means to be good–go against evil.
Trumps talks an evil game, but his actions are more petty dickery than mustache-twirling.
Barack Obama isn’t the only Democrat in the world that people listen to and in fact I dare say that Clinton and Carter have more credibility with independents than Obama does. Obama can rally the troops, no question, but to everyone not a Democrat it will just look like him being an asshole.
George W Bush did his duty to the family for 8 years. Then he was allowed to retire & send the puppetmasters home. He’s never been a great idea man–or a great speaker. Shrub is better off living quietly & painting.
Let the Obamas do as they wish. (Now I see that **adaher **is afraid of him. Good.)
John Quincy Adams had an admirable career after the Presidency. He’d been a brilliant diplomat & secretary of state, then ran for President–although he was the last of those who regarded it beneath themselves to “campaign.” In a field with too many candidates, Andrew Jackson had the most electoral & popular votes–but Henry Clay threw his votes to JQA–who became President. He was a one-term President, not skilled in the politics of the day & implacably opposed by Jackson. Adams had such unpopular policies as not removing the Indians.
JQA returned to Quincy, became bored with retirement–& his neighbors asked him to run for the House of Representatives. He served 17 years, dying in the Capitol building. He learned the art of politics–in his own erudite way–and fought against slavery.
The Clintons will likely stay out of the public eye for good. Carter is too old and too decent a man to do any political attacks. Obama can level the attacks in such a way as not to be offensive. He has the diplomacy skills to tell you to go to hell in such a way that you look forward to the trip.
The Secret Service has no power to prevent a lawful arrest by state authorities, at least as to a former officeholder.
And as Deadeye Dick Cheney illustrated, they can and will obstruct police from investigating crimes committed by the person under protection.
Joke? I really was going to cite Carter as the example of what-not-to-do-after-your-Presidency.
Seriously? Teaching Sunday School and being active in habitat for humanity is what not to do? Who would be your role model? Ronald Let Me Cash In Reagan?
No prohibition of any kind, just a tradition of not going out of your way to give your successor a hard time. It’s seen as Bad Form and anyway it’s expected to be up to the prospective challengers to take the sitting POTUS to task to get voter attention. As mentioned earlier, the ocassional “pointed remark” in an article or speech is about as much as is expected of former Presidents.
I honestly did not know that there was anyone who objected to Carter’s actions as a private citizen. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, in today’s hyper-partisan environment, but I am.