Obama speaks in the first speech of the 2018 campaign



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The fact that Obama intervened to confront Trump underscores the leadership vacuum and consistent message at the top of the Democratic Party, whose incumbent leaders are in their 70s and whose next-generation personalities have not yet imposed presences. And his return can play in Mr. Trump's hands by giving him the public foil he wants.

"I understand the idea that the Democrats want the former president to be on the trail of the campaign as much as possible," said Jim Manley, a longtime Senate advisor, "but I'm not sure Trump would not like anything. more than using Obama as a punching bag.

And Trump Allies would not be like Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina. "The most president @Barack Obama talks about the "good years" of his presidency, most likely the president @realDonaldTrump is to get re-elected, "Mr. Graham written on Twitter. "In fact, the best explanation for President Trump's victory lies in the" results "of Obama's presidency!"

But Mo Elleithee, a longtime Democratic strategist who is now executive director of the Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service, said Obama seemed to send a message to Democrats to pick up populism by saying that the Mr. Trump's version elevated the interests of the rich and powerful.

"He filled a void of leadership for the opposition party," said Mr. Elleithee after the speech, "but what I found more interesting, is that it has begun to develop a road map for Democrats who are looking for a different way to engage this populist era and takes us back to a more optimistic approach. "

However, like other presidents, Obama does not have a good record of helping his party in mid-term elections, even when he was in office. The Democrats lost the House in 2010 and the Senate in 2014.

After his speech, Obama passed a coffee with J. B. Pritzker, the Democratic candidate for governorship, and his running mate, Juliana Stratton, and worked in the room. "It's all about participation," he told customers after ordering hot tea and tiramisu. While he was urging a free press in his speech, he did not ask journalists any questions.

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