In an off the cuff remark, during his visit to Africa, Barack Obama proclaimed that he could win a third term as president, if he was allowed to run again. The president stated:
I actually think I’m a pretty good president. I think if I ran, I could win. There’s a lot that I’d like to do to keep America moving. But the law is the law, and no person is above the law, not even the president.
Although the comments were tacitly aimed at several African dictators who have violated their nation’s own constitutions to stay in power, the remarks will undoubtedly rile up Republicans who will view Obama’s quip as a sign of his arrogance.
To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.
Republicans still haven’t gotten over President Obama’s verbal victory lap at the 2015 State of the Union Address. Congressional Republicans cheered after Obama announced that he had no more campaigns to run, only to have the president fire back with a grin on his face:
I know, because I won both of them.
On Tuesday, however, the president was attempting to raise a serious point, that many African leaders needed to heed. President Obama put his remark in context, by noting:
When a leader tries to change the rules in the middle of the game just to stay in office, it risks instability and strife, as we’ve seen in Burundi. And this is often just a first step down a perilous path. And sometimes you’ll hear leaders say, ‘Well, I’m the only person who can hold the nation together.’ If that’s true, then that leader has failed to truly build their nation.
While it is hardly earth shaking for a U.S. President to make the case for complying with the rule of law, President Obama’s words were nevertheless greeted with great applause. His comments were primarily aimed at defending our system of government, in which leaders serve a short time and then peacefully relinquish power. However, even though his comment was made mostly in jest, he was probably correct. If Obama were permitted to run for a 3rd term, he could certainly win again.
Keith Brekhus is a progressive American who currently resides in Red Lodge, Montana. He is co-host for the Liberal Fix radio show. He holds a Master’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Missouri. In 2002, he ran for Congress as a Green Party candidate in the state of Missouri. In 2014, he worked as a field organizer for Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick’s successful re-election bid in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District. He can be followed on Twitter @keithbrekhus or on Facebook.
