After being attacked by Trump for years, Barack Obama should be an ‘angry Black man’
The former president has a history of turning the other cheek. It’s time he fought back.
By Carron J. Phillips
When Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele premiered their famous “Obama’s Anger Translator” skit on their hit sketch comedy show “Key & Peele” in 2012, it was hilarious because it was true.
Thirteen years later, the endless belittling from one president of another isn’t funny anymore. It’s time for the nation’s first Black president to defend himself, even if it means indulging in a racist stereotype.
"It's there, he's guilty. This was treason," President Donald Trump said this week about Obama, sans proof. "They tried to steal the election, they tried to obfuscate the election. They did things that nobody's ever imagined, even in other countries."
“This is like proof, irrefutable proof, that Obama was seditious, that Obama was trying to lead a coup,” he added. “This is the biggest scandal in the history of our country.”
Tuesday’s “performance” by the president was just his latest in a series of attempts to distract from significant news, reminiscent of a washed-up magician on the Las Vegas Strip performing failed sleight-of-hand tricks. This tactic is aimed at diverting attention from actual news, such as the recent revelations from The Wall Street Journal, which provided further details on the close relationship between Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, and how the Justice Department informed him in May that he was indeed mentioned in the Epstein Files.
As usual, Obama responded with class. His spokesman released a statement on his behalf:
“Out of respect for the office of the presidency, our office does not normally dignify the constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House with a response. But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one. These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.
“Nothing in the document issued last week undercuts the widely accepted conclusion that Russia worked to influence the 2016 presidential election but did not successfully manipulate any votes. These findings were affirmed in a 2020 report by the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee, led by then-Chairman Marco Rubio.”
Trump recently shared on social media an AI-generated video of Obama being detained in the Oval Office. Just last year, he labeled former first lady Michelle Obama as “nasty.” It led to many of us wondering why Obama would allow himself to look so chummy sitting next to Trump at former president Jimmy Carter’s funeral, especially because other dignitaries ignored him, and Michelle Obama wasn’t even in attendance.
"My decision to skip the inauguration—or my decision to make choices at the beginning of this year that suited me—were met with such ridicule and criticism," she explained earlier this year on her podcast about some of her public absences. "People couldn't believe that I was saying no for any other reason. They had to assume that my marriage was falling apart."
At the 2016 Democratic National Convention, Michelle Obama famously said, “When they go low, we go high.” It’s one of the worst pieces of advice ever spoken, particularly given the context then (when deplorables was treated like a slur) and now. The statement from Obama's spokesman suggests that he is still adhering to this outdated and flawed logic to some degree. However, over the years, Michelle Obama has shifted her approach. At the 2024 Democratic National Convention, she demonstrated that she is no longer "going high."
“For years, Donald Trump did everything in his power to try to make people fear us,” she said. “His limited and narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hard-working, highly educated, successful people who happened to be Black! Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those Black jobs?”
To Trump and the millions who share his views, Obama represents the “uppity ni**er,” something America has never tolerated. Black people like Obama signify a potential shift in power, serving as a reminder to mediocre white men that their unwarranted success and unearned supremacy is almost up. Obama is fit and relishes a strong family life, while Trump is overweight and battling health issues and has a habitually absent (third) spouse. Obama served two terms without any scandals, whereas Trump was impeached twice, faced electoral defeat, and has been convicted of 34 felonies.
Black people have never been and will never be a monolith. However, negative and racist stereotypes compel Black people in positions of power to adhere to a strict code that allows white/corporate America to view them as "one of the good ones." Participation in this façade is not driven by selfish motives; rather, it is meant to honor those who came before and paved the way for their success, as well as to make things easier for those who follow.
From the infamous "Beer Summit" to the unwarranted criticism he faced for daring to wear a tailored tan suit, Obama has navigated a path filled with double standards and unfair treatment. Throughout his journey, he has had to be strategic and exert extra effort to avoid being seen as a stereotype. This situation restricts his ability to fully express his humanity, whether in moments of joy or anger.
But, at some point, a man has to draw a line in the sand. Trump’s entire political career began with the lies that fueled the birther movement, which aimed to discredit Obama’s citizenship and worthiness. Turning the other cheek hasn’t pacified Trump; it’s spurred him to even more incendiary claims.
Obama needs to defend himself. Besides, the people he might upset by doing it never liked him anyway, making it a net positive.
When you belong to the race and class that built a country on the backs of Black people, seeing someone like Obama succeed, can be infuriating or threatening. It's why envy might be the worst of the seven deadly sins. Barack Obama embodies everything that Donald Trump aspires to be but knows he can’t. The former president now needs to humble the current president. Besides, with Obama’s oratory skills, his words will always do more damage than any sticks and stones could.
Carron J. Phillips is an award-winning journalist who writes on race, culture, social issues, politics, and sports. He hails from Saginaw, Michigan, and is a graduate of Morehouse College and Syracuse University.
Great article on a great man and his wife. Michelle, Barack and their two daughters are so many classes above the orange felon, his classless wives and his sick spawn, even if they were in the highest building in the world, they could never reach the Obamas.
And note, that by defending himself, Barrack Obama would be defending the integrity of all Democrats; his reputation is ours, by default. Trump's accusation of treason is not "outrageous"--it is false, cruel, and libelous. As another commenter suggested: sue him. A class action would not be out of order.