Not the party - Barack should do it himself. On his next talk show appearance his team should make sure Kimmel/Fallon/Meyers or whomever ask Barack exactly the question if he is running in 2028. His answer should be:
I would never have considered it but I have had so many big strong men, rugged individuals, construction workers, come up to me with tears in their eyes asking me to please run for President again. They don’t care what the Constitution says, they just want a strong, virile, masculine President again who can lead us to be the Greatest Nation On Earth! I have to tell you Jimmy/Jimmy/Seth/??? I feel it is something I am required to consider. I should have a decision within two weeks.
Watching all the heads explode will be HIGHLY entertaining.
Let’s NOT go down this sidetrack in a thread already prone to hijacks, please. We’ve already had several responses to it. A reminder to all, this thread is about Will Trump Run. Yes, the OP allowed commentary on why/why not, but let’s keep the side speculations directed at Trump’s willingness and reasons. We have other threads to discuss Democratic Frontrunners, Midterms (thanks @Kolak_of_Twilo for taking that particular sidetrack out), failures of the Democratic party, etc.
However, when asked by a reporter Tuesday night at Joint Base Andrews if he was “serious” about seeking a third term, Trump seemed to waver.
“Everybody asks me that question,” he began. “And you know that the law is very strong on that. I’d love to run, but the law is very strong.”
Trump continued: “I get asked by everyone. Even tonight, they’re screaming at the event, ‘2028!’ No, everybody wants me to do it, but the law is very strong.”
The utility of Obama trolling would be to pretty much exactly mirror Trump’s 2028 rhetoric, and let the Republicans fall all over themselves coming up with ways and reasons he can’t do that, thereby torpedoing Trump’s attempts for those reasons as well.
I mean, a lot of people’s heads would explode, but it would be a crafty way to eliminate any ostensibly lawful ways for him to run, and force an overt constitutional crisis if he attempted anything but leaving office peacefully and quietly.
I’ve read of Republicans talking about amending the Constitution so that a president can do 3 terms if his first 2 terms weren’t consecutive (thus making Trump eligible, but not Obama.)
Of course, no amendment will ever happen, but that doesn’t stop them from brainstorming.
Barack Obama trolling would delight people who vote for the Democrats anyway while pushing swing voters over to the Republicans.
As for there being a constitutional crisis if Trump refuses to leave the White House and/or insists the nuclear football remain his, yes, certainly. That’s when a dignified joint statement from the living former presidents could help.
P.S. I do have a little trepidation with everything above in this post because it almost assumes Vance will not be legitimately elected president in November 2028.