President Obama plans on staying in Democratic politics after leaving office January 20, 2017. But the President won’t be running for office or campaigning for himself. Instead, he intends to foster a new generation of liberal activists and politicians.
In a new interview with NPR’s Steve Inskeep, Obama expressed his intention to contribute to the development of younger talent on the Left.
“I’m less likely to get involved in all the nuts and bolts of electioneering. In that realm, I’m much more likely to just give advice. What I am interested in is just developing a whole new generation of talent.
“There are such incredible young people who not only worked on my campaign but I’ve seen in advocacy groups, I’ve seen passionate about issues like climate change or conservation, criminal justice reform. Campaigns for a livable wage or health insurance. And making sure that whatever resources, credibility, spotlight that I can bring to help them rise up — that’s something I can do well.”
He expressed the personal importance of giving back to the generation that helped get him elected. Millennials voted overwhelmingly for Obama in 2008, when he won 66 percent of voters aged 18-29. In 2012, 67 percent of voters in the same demographic voted for him.
The work Obama intends to take on is crucial to the future of liberal democracy in America. The ascension of President-elect Donald Trump is a symptom of the widespread disengagement and disillusion with the current political system. And young people are not immune to it.
According to a recent poll from the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), just 32 percent of Millennials believe they have a “legitimate voice” in the political process.
This feeling of alienation translates to low voter turnout. In 2012, only about 40 percent of eligible voters aged 18 to 24 voted. But over 70 percent of voters aged 65 and older – who overwhelmingly vote for Republicans – turned out to the polls.
And in 2016, Millennial voter turnout remained below the national average. Millennial support for the Democratic candidate, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, also declined relative to the levels of Millennial support for Obama in 2012.
In other words, Obama’s instincts are right. The Left must mobilize the younger generation if it is to remain a robust force in American politics.
Check out the Obama interview below:
Featured image via YouTube video.
