Former US president Barack Obama said the current state of US political discourse feels like a “clown show,” in an interview with podcaster Brian Tyler Cohen on Saturday.
“Most Americans find this behavior deeply troubling,” Obama said. “Some public figures no longer seem to feel shame. But the majority don’t approve, and ultimately the answer will come from them.”
While he didnt mention current US President Donald Trump by name, Obama’s comment appeared to reference a video shared by Trump containing an AI-generated clip of Barack and Michelle Obama as apes.
The former president also claimed that while extraterrestrial life exists, he has never seen any aliens himself.
“They’re not being kept in Area 51 - unless there’s an enormous conspiracy that hid it from the president,” he said.
Obama said Democrats have harder job than Republicans
Obama also stated that in his eyes, Democrats have a harder job than Republicans, as, according to him, one group focuses on protecting norms while the other pursues its goals aggressively.
“We believe in government as a force for good, which means building majorities, persuading people, passing laws,” he said. “Tearing things down is easier.“
The former president said that he was able to get younger people to vote by building joy and community into his presidential campaign.
“The other side thrives on anger and division. Our strength is community. That spirit of shared purpose - that’s our home court,” he said.
When asked about how Democrats can avoid infighting as the 2028 election approaches, Obama insisted that divisions within the party have been exaggerated.
“A candidate in Virginia may run as a centrist; one in New York may run as an explicit socialist. That’s healthy. We don’t need to nationalize every issue. And we shouldn’t treat policy debates as moral betrayals,” he said.
“Take immigration. Morally, that child in Minneapolis deserves dignity. But voters also want orderly borders. We have to balance values with political reality.”