# Is Barack Obama legally or traditionally prohibited from protesting what Trump does? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 6, 2016, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-barack-obama-legally-or-traditionally-prohibited-from-protesting-what-trump-does/774000 "2016-12-06T07:13:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-barack-obama-legally-or-traditionally-prohibited-from-protesting-what-trump-does/774000/21 "2016-12-06T15:39:43Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > 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. I think Carter has kefuffled once or twice, at most. Didn’t he express an opinion about Israel/Egypt/Palestine, or something? Big whoop. I suppose arguably, Taft had the most significant post-presidential career. I can’t offhand think of an ex-president who was a significant embarrassment, at least in the modern era. LBJ’s post-administration haircut was a tad funky, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-barack-obama-legally-or-traditionally-prohibited-from-protesting-what-trump-does/774000/22 "2016-12-06T15:40:14Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > 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 think its a tradition wrt your _immediate_ successor. And you criticise the policy, never the man. Dubya did not do it, neither did Clinton or Bush senior, although as it turned out, each was holding back for their brother, wife and son respectively. Obama might not. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-barack-obama-legally-or-traditionally-prohibited-from-protesting-what-trump-does/774000/23 "2016-12-06T15:46:43Z")
Carter has also done good work on diseases. But it shouldn’t shock you that there is some controversy without even requiring hyperpartisanship. He is spoke out against the first Gulf war and his current views on Palestine aren’t completely noncontroversial. He actually just did an [OpEd piece for the NYT](http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/11/28/opinion/jimmy-carter-america-must-recognize-palestine.html?_r=0&referer=) calling on Obama to recognize Palestine. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-barack-obama-legally-or-traditionally-prohibited-from-protesting-what-trump-does/774000/24 "2016-12-06T16:01:16Z")
So what’s more disruptive, recognizing Palestine or recognizing Taiwan? ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-barack-obama-legally-or-traditionally-prohibited-from-protesting-what-trump-does/774000/25 "2016-12-06T16:12:12Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > 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. Thomas Jefferson didn’t directly succeed George Washington–John Adams had one term in between. From [Mount Vernon](http://www.mountvernon.org/digital-encyclopedia/article/thomas-jefferson/): > [@](#): > > Martha Washington often recalled the two saddest days of her life. The first was December 14, 1799 when her husband died. The second was in January 1801 when Thomas Jefferson visited Mount Vernon. As a close friend explained, “She assured a party of gentlemen, of which I was one. . .that next to the loss of her husband” Jefferson’s visit was the “most painful occurrence of her life.” > > She had come to dislike Jefferson for his frequent attacks on President George Washington as a monarchist bent on destroying the rule of the people and a senile follower of the policies of Alexander Hamilton. Jefferson even refused to attend memorial services for the President, saying in private that the “republican spirit” in the nation might revive now that Washington was dead and the Federalists could no longer hide behind his heroic image. There was quite a bit of bad blood between TJ & Adams, as well. They lived long enough to make up & create a correspondence to burnish their reputations as noble statesmen. In his dotage, TJ even wrote some good things about Washington. President Obama will probably take the high road–at least initially. But I doubt he’ll let any invented “tradition” keep him from speaking up if he finds it necessary. Neither do I see Michelle ignoring obvious outrages–should they occur. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-barack-obama-legally-or-traditionally-prohibited-from-protesting-what-trump-does/774000/26 "2016-12-06T16:32:16Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > So what’s more disruptive, recognizing Palestine or recognizing Taiwan? I doubt the Israelis would have to think about that question very hard. But you obviously missed the point of my post, which was to explain why Carter might not be universally beloved by people of all political stripes. I bet most Americans don’t even realize Taiwan isn’t _really_ a country but plenty of them have an opinion on Israeli-Palestine. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-barack-obama-legally-or-traditionally-prohibited-from-protesting-what-trump-does/774000/27 "2016-12-06T16:46:05Z")
I didn’t miss your point. I found a more interesting point. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-barack-obama-legally-or-traditionally-prohibited-from-protesting-what-trump-does/774000/28 "2016-12-06T16:57:33Z")
And what was it? “Trump is teh dumb”? ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-barack-obama-legally-or-traditionally-prohibited-from-protesting-what-trump-does/774000/29 "2016-12-06T17:03:02Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > And what was it? “Trump is teh dumb”? That’s not interesting. Bored now. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-barack-obama-legally-or-traditionally-prohibited-from-protesting-what-trump-does/774000/30 "2016-12-06T17:18:30Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > And what was it? “Trump is teh dumb”? No. I wasn’t thinking specifically of Trump, just that Taiwan was in the news lately. Recognition of Palestine or Taiwan doesn’t automatically strike me as _dumb_, regardless of who calls for it, but I see that either would be _disruptive_ and I was musing on which would be more so. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-barack-obama-legally-or-traditionally-prohibited-from-protesting-what-trump-does/774000/31 "2016-12-06T17:35:29Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > 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. You do realize that none of those guys were the ex-President, right? Now, if Bush II had done all that you’d have a point. But he didn’t. I don’t see Obama breaking the trend either, though honestly I wish he would. As for the OP: > [@](#): > > 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 I thought that they changed the rules on secret service for ex-Presidents as of Bush II?? I don’t think they get a ‘Secret Service Bubble’ anymore. Also, what you are proposing here would be illegal, so I don’t see Obama taking this route. If he wants to protest what’s going on here he’d be much better off doing it other (legal) ways…not only would this be more effective but it would also be more in character of the man. > [@](#): > > What happens when the rubber bullets, water canons, and pepper spray fly? Assuming he was so stupid as to do this I guess he’d get hit by rubber bullets, water cannon or pepper spray, though his private security most likely wouldn’t let him do anything like this either. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-barack-obama-legally-or-traditionally-prohibited-from-protesting-what-trump-does/774000/32 "2016-12-06T17:43:42Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > I doubt the Israelis would have to think about that question very hard. But you obviously missed the point of my post, which was to explain why Carter might not be universally beloved by people of all political stripes. I bet most Americans don’t even realize Taiwan isn’t _really_ a country but plenty of them have an opinion on Israeli-Palestine. But it is really a country. Everybody just keeps up the technical pretense that it isn’t to avoid Chinese intransigence. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-barack-obama-legally-or-traditionally-prohibited-from-protesting-what-trump-does/774000/33 "2016-12-06T17:50:30Z")
The next time I’m at a computer instead of just pecking at a smartphone, I’ll start a “Palestine v. Taiwan” thread, since I find the comparison interesting but beyond the scope of this discussion. ---
**Author:** ![Unpronounceable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9de0a6/32.png) [@Unpronounceable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unpronounceable)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-barack-obama-legally-or-traditionally-prohibited-from-protesting-what-trump-does/774000/34 "2016-12-06T20:46:42Z")
> [@XT](#): > > I thought that they changed the rules on secret service for ex-Presidents as of Bush II?? I don’t think they get a ‘Secret Service Bubble’ anymore. It’s not for the rest of their life, anymore…but they do get protection for some time. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-barack-obama-legally-or-traditionally-prohibited-from-protesting-what-trump-does/774000/35 "2016-12-06T20:53:07Z")
> [@Unpronounceable](#): > > It’s not for the rest of their life, anymore…but they do get protection for some time. Actually, I looked it up and I guess Obama [signed a law](http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/01/10/obama-signs-bill-gets-secret-service-protection-for-life/) that would restore the life time protection. I must have missed that. I thought former presidents since 1997 had to make their own arrangements (which I think is stupid…I’m all for them getting secret service protection for life as they are huge targets). ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-barack-obama-legally-or-traditionally-prohibited-from-protesting-what-trump-does/774000/36 "2016-12-06T22:18:45Z")
> [@XT](#): > > Actually, I looked it up and I guess Obama [signed a law](http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/01/10/obama-signs-bill-gets-secret-service-protection-for-life/) that would restore the life time protection. I must have missed that. I thought former presidents since 1997 had to make their own arrangements (which I think is stupid…I’m all for them getting secret service protection for life as they are huge targets). Are they? After leaving office, don’t the crazies gravitate to the replacement (i.e. John Hinckley was seen at some Carter events, shifted his focus to Reagan after the 1980 election). I don’t offhand know of any president who was assaulted (let alone murdered) after his term, even ones without protection. Harry Truman, for example, just moved back to Missouri, and there were probably any number of pro-MacArthur fanatics who’d’ve loved to see him dead. Amusingly, while in office, Truman wrote a nasty and threatening letter to a music critic who’d panned a performance by Truman’s daughter Margaret. Had he cut it down to under 140 characters and added a “SAD”, it coulda been Trumpian. ---
**Author:** ![Unpronounceable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9de0a6/32.png) [@Unpronounceable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unpronounceable)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-barack-obama-legally-or-traditionally-prohibited-from-protesting-what-trump-does/774000/37 "2016-12-06T23:55:53Z")
I definitely missed that. Guess he didn’t want to hear about Dubya getting kidnapped for a show-trial. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2016, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-barack-obama-legally-or-traditionally-prohibited-from-protesting-what-trump-does/774000/38 "2016-12-07T00:55:05Z")
> [@Unpronounceable](#): > > I definitely missed that. Guess he didn’t want to hear about Dubya getting kidnapped for a show-trial. Or, worse, a real trial. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2016, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-barack-obama-legally-or-traditionally-prohibited-from-protesting-what-trump-does/774000/39 "2016-12-07T03:06:22Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Are they? After leaving office, don’t the crazies gravitate to the replacement (i.e. John Hinckley was seen at some Carter events, shifted his focus to Reagan after the 1980 election). > > I don’t offhand know of any president who was assaulted (let alone murdered) after his term, even ones without protection. Harry Truman, for example, just moved back to Missouri, and there were probably any number of pro-MacArthur fanatics who’d’ve loved to see him dead. > > Amusingly, while in office, Truman wrote a nasty and threatening letter to a music critic who’d panned a performance by Truman’s daughter Margaret. Had he cut it down to under 140 characters and added a “SAD”, it coulda been Trumpian. The only example I’ve ever heard of is Saddam Hussein wanting to kill Bush 41. I myself am not sure why anyone would care to kill an ex-President unless they had a grudge, as Saddam did. ---
**Author:** ![dba\_Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@dba\_Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dba_Fred)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2016, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-barack-obama-legally-or-traditionally-prohibited-from-protesting-what-trump-does/774000/40 "2016-12-07T11:08:44Z")
Former President Teddy Roosevelt was shot while campaigning to regain the presidency after a term out of office. On October 14, 1912, an unemployed saloonkeeper shot former president and Progressive Party candidate Theodore Roosevelt outside a Milwaukee hotel. Rather than being rushed to the hospital, Roosevelt insisted on delivering his scheduled 90-minute speech. By slowing the bullet, those lengthy prepared remarks may actually have saved his life. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-barack-obama-legally-or-traditionally-prohibited-from-protesting-what-trump-does/774000.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-barack-obama-legally-or-traditionally-prohibited-from-protesting-what-trump-does/774000.md?page=3)