Former President Barack Obama was back at his old stomping grounds at the University of Chicago to do what he does best: lecture other people. In this case, he was lecturing during a conversation with the Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg at the “Disinformation and the Erosion of Democracy” event (the same one in which Atlantic journalist Anne Applebaum said that the Hunter Biden laptop story just wasn’t “interesting.”).
But since he’s been out of office, he’s different somehow. Lighter, as though he’s no longer feeling the heavy burdens of the consequences for his actions. Anyone else get that vibe from him?
Former President Obama shares his thoughts on Putin's invasion of Ukraine at a University of Chicago lecture:
"He was always ruthless. You witnessed what he did it Chechnya. He had no qualms about crushing those who he considered a threat." pic.twitter.com/Gc1UP2zPzu
— The Recount (@therecount) April 7, 2022
Former President Obama on all the ways the war in Ukraine isn't going according to plan for Putin:
"The thing that [Putin] did not fully anticipate is the degree to which the nature of war has changed, where everybody is seeing exactly what is happening on a real-time basis." pic.twitter.com/q1i31bc4ym
— The Recount (@therecount) April 7, 2022
Something Vladimir Putin did anticipate — correctly — is that the Obama administration, and then the Biden administration, would effectively give him the green light to invade Ukraine. Obama did nothing when Putin went into Crimea, and Biden totally downplayed the threat that Putin posed to Ukraine during this administration (remember the “minor incursion” remark?).
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And in the cases of both President Obama and President Biden, Putin’s intentions and ruthlessness were well known … and our leaders did absolutely nothing. Except, perhaps, for giving him more flexibility after their respective elections.
"I'll have more flexibility after the election." https://t.co/U1ebVDbFtF
— Derek Hunter (@derekahunter) April 7, 2022
Barack Obama doesn’t appear to have lost any sleep over his significant role in enabling Vladimir Putin’s ruthless authoritarianism and thirst for Soviet Union 2.
https://t.co/l8orGShP6j pic.twitter.com/TqkQ0qOqRP
— Matt (@mazzaboz) April 7, 2022
Truly a shining moment of Barack Obama’s administration.
"Governor Romney, the 1980s are calling" https://t.co/zF14KpY9GU
— jimtreacher.substack.com (@jtLOL) April 7, 2022
“The 80’s called and they want their foreign policy back.” https://t.co/NJoziyWEgE
— Silence and Frost (@secjr112) April 7, 2022
the 1980’s called and said Obama can sit this one out https://t.co/Gw7xkIZ3VS
— Teddy Hoteham (@tjb61) April 7, 2022
https://t.co/WOgrb76Tup pic.twitter.com/VksZO8vCOw
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) April 7, 2022
Barack Obama will never accept any responsibility for empowering Vladimir Putin. Which is on-brand for him, honestly, as he spent eight years and then his post-presidential life refusing to accept any responsibility for all the messes he made.
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