Former President Obama once more experiences the "pressing necessity of the present" as Trump ponders a potential political comeback.
That promise, drawing inspiration from one of the legendary rock artist's hits, came true a few days later when Obama secured the 2008 presidential election.
The band regrouped on Thursday night, in Georgia. The former president, now 63 and still the Democratic Party's most potent figure, and the Boss were working to help the Democratic nominee, Kamala Harris, clinch victory in the crucial swing state.
Springsteen, before strumming "Land of Hope and Dreams," declared that Harris "is running to be the 47th president of the United States. Donald Trump is running to be an American dictator. He fails to comprehend this nation, its history, or the essence of deep Americanism."
Obama zeroed in on recent remarks made by John Kelly, the Republican nominee's former White House chief of staff, wherein he depicted the 45th president as an aspiring dictator and expressed a desire to be served by military leaders akin to those surrounding Adolf Hitler. Trump, on Thursday, challenged this assertion. "I never said that," he claimed during a Las Vegas address.
But Obama cautioned, "Just because he appears comical does not make his presidency any less perilous." He further warned: "In politics, a good rule of thumb is – don't express any desire to resemble Hitler. ... However, his statements offer us a glimpse into how Donald Trump thinks."
Harris shared memories with the enormous crowd in Clarkston, a suburb of Atlanta, relating to her visit to Obama's first presidential campaign event in Springfield, Illinois, in 2007.
"I was there to support this brilliant young senator who was running for president of the United States," she said. "Millions of Americans were uplifted and inspired not only by Barack Obama's message but by his leadership style, aiming to unite rather than divide us."
The palpable sense of impending transformation that swirled in the freezing air on that February morning in 2007 is conspicuously lacking this year as both sides engage in an exhausting quest for every last vote, with Democrats worried that Obama's nemesis, Trump, might seize back power.
And Obama's return to the political arena has resurrected the question of whether, 12 years after his last election victory, he still possesses the political clout to challenge the once and possibly future president.
Obama is burning with enthusiasm and determination once more
Obama is experiencing "the urgent necessity of this moment" again. The 44th president is logging more travel miles than at any time since leaving the White House nearly eight years ago. He has urged voters in Pittsburgh, Tucson, and Las Vegas to back Harris, and by the end of the week, his campaign journey will have visited all seven highly contested states.
"We do not want to witness the sight of an older, unhinged Donald Trump devoid of restraint," Obama said this week in Detroit. "America is eager to turn over a new page. We're eager for a better story to unfold."
Trump is retaliating against Obama's sharp-tongued ridicule and has accused him of being "drained" and "looking a few years older." Such comments are ironic, given that Trump is over 78 years old and comparing himself to a fitness enthusiast like Obama.
Nevertheless, the United States' first Black president, who once celebrated his generation of voters as a "people of extraordinary hope," appears less optimistic as Americans prepare to render a judgment on Trump for the third time in a row.
The raw fury of Obama's speech on Thursday night and his intense involvement this week reveal that this election is not merely about supporting Harris; it is a struggle against the likelihood of Trump's reemergence as a significant political force.
As various outlets have observed, Obama's legacy is in the balance in this election. If Trump wins a second term, he might attempt to dismantle further the Affordable Care Act and undo the economic and environmental reforms put in place by Biden, who served as Obama's vice president.
This election may mark the final showdown between Obamaism – a diverse and multi-generational force pushing for grassroots change – and the anti-establishment politics of Trumpism.
However, Obama’s days are primarily focused on persuading his audiences that his vision of political change is still achievable and that democracy remains the requisite tool for change.
"The person you choose to vote for matters, not because they will promptly solve every problem we grapple with," Obama said in Madison, Wisconsin, this week. "No president, no vice president, no senator, no governor can remedy every problem overnight. We are born into history, and transformation takes time."
The man once known for proclaiming that "we are the change we seek" dispensed a more practical message, cautioning: "We often expect too much, and then we grow disillusioned when the answers don't show up immediately."
"Roland expressed that Obama instilled a sense of optimism in America that wasn't present before, potentially paving the way for someone like Kamala Harris to fulfill some of his promises. Roland isn't certain if Harris can defeat Trump in crucial Michigan, but he's more hopeful than ever after witnessing thousands of individuals waiting in line to see Obama.
In Roland's opinion, if Obama trusts Harris, other people should, too.
During the rallies, Obama makes a strong argument for Harris, whom he's known for two decades, while primarily focusing on criticizing Trump.
He continuously reuses his famous line: "Don't boo, vote," as he tries to grasp this peculiar situation.
"I understand why people are seeking change. I get it, but I can't fathom why anyone would believe that Donald Trump will bring about positive change when there's no evidence indicating that he considers anyone but himself," Obama said in Georgia, echoing his thoughts at his other Harris rallies.
Obama's eloquent speaking style resonates with Janavus Davis, a Detroit barber, who attended to reminisce about the previous political era.
Davis hears the skepticism surrounding Harris but believes Obama's voice will quell any anxiety about electing the first female president.
"People still listen to him; that's why all these people are here. During Obama's presidency, I felt like he helped keep the people at ease. With Kamala now, it's time for a Black woman to take the lead. I believe it's possible. I believe it should happen," Dave stated.
Despite his impressive political skills, Obama had difficulty influencing the public's support for lesser-known politicians. He failed to make Hillary Clinton president despite campaigning for her in the final days of the 2016 election. His ongoing influence within the Democratic Party as a prominent political figure 16 years after his first presidency reflects more about his party than his aura.
Harris is facing a much more challenging environment than Obama did in 2008. He was the outsider following eight years of a Republican presidency under George W. Bush, marked by failures in Iraq and New Orleans, leaving the country yearning for change. This year's Democratic nominee is an incumbent amid an unpopular administration. Young voters, intoxicated by hope in 2008, are now grappling with the same challenges as Trump's supporters. Additionally, blue-collar voters have shifted towards the Republican Party in recent elections, drawn to Trump's populist ideologies.
Questioning the power of influential endorsements from former presidents and celebrities like Springsteen – and Beyoncé, who will appear alongside Harris in the closing stages – is a factor worth considering. Springsteen is no political novice, having headlined a massive rally for John Kerry in Madison, Wisconsin, in 2004, prior to Kerry's loss to Bush. Although star-studded events may inspire nostalgia for the rock and political anthems of the past, there's no guarantee concerning their political impact.
CNN political commentator and Republican strategist David Urban, who masterminded Trump's consecutive win in Pennsylvania in 2016, recalled a star-studded Clinton rally in Philadelphia on election eve, featuring Obama, Springsteen, and Jon Bon Jovi.
"The following day, guess what happened? We defeated Hillary Clinton in Pennsylvania. As for Georgia, I might attend Bruce Springsteen's show tonight, but I don't think it matters for November 5," Urban explained to CNN's Erin Burnett.
Nonetheless, the likelihood of this election being decided by narrow margins in a few states means that even minor contributions from Obama and Springsteen might influence voter turnout, which could tip the scale. Michelle Obama, a legendary female figure, will join Harris on the campaign trail in Michigan on Saturday.
At this point, spectacular events are primarily about rallying a party's voters to the polls rather than changing minds. This principle was something Obama learned 16 years ago."
The recent political activities of Obama and Springsteen are focused on helping the Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, with Obama criticizing Donald Trump for his aspiration to be an American dictator. This critique comes after former White House chief of staff John Kelly depicted Trump as an aspiring dictator.
Despite Trump's disputes with these statements, Obama warns that Trump's potential reemergence as a significant political force is a major concern in this election, which is not just about supporting Harris but opposing Trump's return.
