President Obama after the presidency?

[Belowjob2.0]

@SpoilerVirgin

I have been predicting for some time that President Obama will return to the Senate after his presidency (maybe with a gap until the appropriate Senate seat opens up). I don’t think he will have any trouble getting elected in Illinois, and I can’t see him running a foundation or becoming involved in non-political charitable causes as a primary job. I know that this is not the historical norm, but nothing about Obama’s candidacy or election followed historical patterns. I think we may ultimately look back on Obama as a longtime Senator who took a brief break to serve as President.

It’s Michelle who would be Senator for Life from the great State of Illinois. I’m assuming Obama will put his energy into getting her elected.

[RTFirefly]

Our system’s kinda weird like that: if you become the President at a fairly young age, as Obama and Clinton have both done, you finish up your second term as President when you’re in your mid-50s, and…then what? The rest of your life is doomed to be anticlimax, thanks to the 22nd Amendment.

[opossum]

@Munch

Nothing constitutional prevents either of those, but they’re both pretty unlikely. The only real political avenue left would be to follow Taft’s lead, and get onto the Supreme Court. There’d have to be a very Democratic-heavy Senate to do so, though - I can only imagine the outcry from the right at that nomination.

I agree with Munch and Quartz. A few years with foundation/charity type work like Clinton and Bush combined with being a law professor at a top ten school (ie, teaching one tightly controlled seminar every semester or two) followed by a Supreme Court nomination by the next Democratic president.

[DMark]

Maybe he will help Michelle start her political career?

He has tons of options - my guess is part time lectures at some Ivy League University, working with some charities, traveling on behalf of the US to some of the countries that admire him and he can help, earning a nice chunk of change giving speeches. I think it is a given that he will be the number one “go to guy” whenever there is a crisis, and news shows need some kind of talking head to put perspective on the situation. Most news organizations would write him a blank check to have a regular show with him as moderator.

I would also imagine that any Democratic hopeful for President for many years to come will most certainly want his endorsement, and I think he will be asked to speak at all of the Democratic Conventions until the day he dies.

[muldoonthief]

@ElvisL1ves

He’ll still have Secret Service protection. So will they. The girls won’t be able to get in much trouble even if they want to.

Actually the Secret Service only protects children of former Presidents until they turn 16. So Malia’s scot free at the inauguration, and Sasha only gets a few more months after that.

[Saintly_Loser]

President of Harvard or Columbia? Or would that be too much of a step downwards? I suspect that he might think that was something for later in his life.

[Grrr]

With his gift for giving speeches, I’d say he is going to make mad money speaking at various events.

I believe Clinton was making $100K a pop after he got out of office.