In Chicago, Obama Defends Progressive Principles and Advocates for Inclusivity

December 6, 2024 TruthUSA

During his foundation’s Democracy Forum, Obama emphasizes the importance of pluralism following the results of the 2024 elections.

CHICAGO—In a recent address at his foundation’s Democracy Forum, former President Barack Obama urged for pluralism to an assembly of Democrats who are still grappling with the electoral setbacks faced by the party this cycle.

“In a democracy, true power lies in forming alliances, building coalitions, and ensuring there’s space within those coalitions for the woke as well as those who are waking,” the former president articulated at the Obama Foundation forum in Chicago on December 5.

The address intertwined calls for practical strategies among his political allies with appeals to identity, all revolving around the overarching theme of pluralism in a democracy that Obama described as “rooted in a historically entrenched caste system.”

According to Merriam-Webster, a pluralistic society is one where “members of diverse ethnic, racial, religious, or social groups maintain and develop their traditional culture or special interest while coexisting within a common civilization.”

Obama elucidated this concept in relation to the U.S. Constitution, referring to it as “a guideline for practicing pluralism.”

He also addressed the results of the recent elections to an understanding audience in the city where he first gained recognition, stating that the nation that had awarded the presidency and narrow House and Senate majorities to the GOP was “divided down the middle.”

Obama mentioned that some of his acquaintances questioned the emphasis on pluralism in the context of the election outcomes.

“To them, the election seems to indicate that democracy is relatively low on people’s priority lists,” he expressed. “I can appreciate their doubts.

“It’s convenient to extol democracy when it aligns with our desired results. The real test of our commitment to democracy surfaces when we find ourselves at odds with the outcomes.”

The fallout from Trump’s 2016 victory was marred by a contentious debate over purported Russian interference influencing that election. Four years later, following an outcome regarded as illegitimate by many Democrats and media personalities, Trump challenged the results of the 2020 presidential election amidst an unprecedented pandemic response, which saw a significant rise in mail-in voting compared to earlier elections.

In 2024, Trump not only secured the popular vote but also garnered increased support from Black, Asian, and Hispanic voters relative to 2020, with 54 percent of Hispanic men voting for Trump this election, based on exit polls by Edison Research.

Identity themes resonated throughout the former president’s reflections on Thursday evening.

Obama noted that the political climate in America appeared more cohesive post-World War II than it is today—partly due to the nation’s global industrial supremacy—but more so because of “who it left out.”

It “excluded or severely limited significant portions of the population from the halls of power,” based on factors such as race, gender, class, and sexual orientation, the former president remarked.

While he reiterated several progressive concerns, Obama urged progressive activists to adopt a more inclusive stance.

“Purity tests are not a recipe for sustainable success,” the former president remarked.

Among the other speakers at the Obama Foundation’s Democracy Forum were actor Ryan Reynolds and Valerie Jarrett, a former senior advisor to Obama during his presidency.

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