Subtle criticism of Donald Trump
It was a leitmotif of Barack Obama (58, “An American Dream: The Story of My Family”) in the 2008 election campaign: hope. Twelve years later, because of the ongoing corona pandemic, they need more people than ever. The former US president also seems to know that. In two speeches, which he gave virtually to school and university graduates on Saturday, he gave the young people courage and confidence. Between the lines, he also criticized his successor Donald Trump (73) and his cabinet.
The 58-year-old addressed the young audience with encouraging words: “If the world is to get better, it is in your hands. You are the people we have been waiting for, ”said Obama. The graduates had earned their degree, it was up to them to use it accordingly. “So many of us believe in you, I am so proud of you,” said Michelle Obama’s husband (56, “Becoming”) to the graduates of the historically African-American colleges and universities, HBCUs for short.
The former president also tried to take the fear of the future away from the graduates of the American high schools. In return, he made it clear that America had been through hard times before the coronavirus pandemic. “Slavery, civil war, hunger, illness,” he enumerated. “The Great Depression and 9/11.” Each time the people emerged from the situation stronger in the end.
“Small children think that doing what feels good, what is comfortable and easy,” continued Obama in his speech. Unfortunately, many “so-called adults” with big titles and important jobs would still think so. Most of the listeners should have known who the 58-year-old meant by these words. The speech to HBCU graduates included a subtle swipe against US President Trump: “This pandemic has once and for all destroyed the idea that many of the people in power know what they are doing.” Obama even became even clearer: “Many of them don’t even pretend to be responsible.”
Despite the serious global situation, Obama loosened his address to the high school graduates in the usual humorous manner. Regarding the long time many young people are currently in quarantine at home, he said: “As much as I am sure that you love your parents, I also bet that you will be stuck with them at home, playing board games or Watching ‘Tiger King’ on TV is not really how you imagined the last few months of your senior year. ”
In the USA, as in many other countries, this year’s final classes had to do without traditional graduation ceremonies due to the corona pandemic. But Obama was also able to gain something positive from this fact: “Not many people look good with these caps, especially if you have big ears like me,” he joked.
