The Obama Presidential Center tower is a bit squat, unlike the sleek former president. (Photo credit: Curbed)

Obama delivers a head-scratcher

On Sunday, I was jolted out of midday relaxation mode when baffling news popped up on my phone screen. Former President Obama extended an olive branch invitation to Trump to visit the Obama Presidential Center. (Given Trump’s penchant for stealing classified documents, I wouldn’t want him anywhere near a presidential library where he might be tempted to pilfer valuable artifacts.)

Seeing the news, my jaw dropped as I texted a few friends to gage their reaction. Unanimously, they were upset to learn that Obama is reminding us why he’s a member of the Trump Accommodation Club. It’s an elite group that includes prestigious law firms, esteemed universities and once-stalwart media companies who throw away their hard-earned reputation, in favor of capitulating, rather than standing up to Trump.

While processing Obama’s outreach to Trump, I wondered, for example, who in their right mind would invite a man of Trump’s despicable character into their home for Thanksgiving dinner?

That’s essentially what Barack and Michelle “when they go low, we go high” Obama just did by inviting Trump to visit the Obama Presidential Center. Well, to be precise, the Obama Foundation invited Trump to visit Obama’s Presidential Library. But you can be sure boss man Barack gave his approval.

Responding to Trump dissing Obama’s library as a “disaster” that looks like a trash can, Obama Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett said, “If [Trump] would like to come and visit it himself, we would welcome him and give him a tour.” OMG! Obama invited a 34x felon, adjudicated rapist, suspected pedophile, fascist, racist, misogynist, anti-LGBTQ narcissist to tour the Obama Presidential Center! Surely, the apocalypse is near.

It’s been pointed out to me that Jarrett was engaging in gamesmanship with Trump, i.e., daring Trump to come to Chicago. OK, I guess, but the Obama Foundation’s invitation feels unnecessary, yet another group playing nice while Trump is busy destroying our democracy. (Btw, others have described the Obama Center main building as resembling an obelisk; some believe it looks like a prison. Having zero architecture background, I nonetheless say the building missed the mark, mediocrity among Chicago’s magnificent architecture.)

I am also not a trained public relations professional, but here’s a more appropriate response to Trump’s backwater comments about the Obama Center. Jarrett should have replied, “Considering how Trump has trashed the White House, the Kennedy Center and the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool, not to mention his prominence in the Epstein files, we couldn’t care less what Trump thinks.”

Obama did Trump a solid at Jimmy Carter’s funeral. Trump hasn’t returned the favor. (Photo credit: Politico)

As it stands, Barack Obama further scuffed up his legacy. It was bad enough when he engaged in friendly banter with Trump during former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral. What’s next, a round of golf at Mar-a-Lago? As I’ve repeated often, it is surprising how many politicians, judges, media and voters fail to grasp the enormity of how criminally toxic Trump is. Rather than call Trump out, they accommodate a bully who will never return the favor.

After Obama’s courtesy toward Trump at Carter’s funeral, Trump repaid Obama by re-posting on Truth Social a racist AI video depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes. Obamas perfunctory, measured response – without even naming Trump – stated that “shame” and “decorum” has been lost in politics (zzzz…). Has Team Obama forgotten, or even worse, forgiven Trump’s racist demand that Obama show us his birth certificate to prove he’s a U.S. citizen?

Now, the Obama Foundation turns the other cheek and embraces the idea of granting Trump a tour of Obama’s new library.

Malcolm X, Black Panther co-founder Huey Newton, and the recently departed Jesse Jackson could well be turning over in their graves, and they could also be itching to kick Obama’s ass whenever he joins them in paradise.

Is there no one on Obama’s team who considered that inviting Trump to the library was maybe the worst gesture of Obama’s political life? Never mind the invite might qualify as a “come see for yourself” challenge. The invitation is strategically inept, a pandering courtesy that accomplishes zilch. It makes Obama look weak, offering kindness – going high – when going low was the optimal choice. As any gardener will tell you, getting your hands dirty can be very satisfying.

Trump uploaded a disgusting, racist, AI-generated video depicting the Obamas as apes. And yet the Obamas invited Trump to tour the Obama Presidential Center. (Photo credit: CNN screenshot)

Another dude

Between Jill Biden running around the cable news circuit pushing her new book and spilling her thoughts about Joe’s disastrous debate (she says she thought Joe was suffering a stroke during his infamous meltdown), and now the Obama’s making nice with the worst human this country has ever produced, it’s no wonder Democrats often look like stumbling, fumbling, self-inflicted fools.

And don’t get me started on many Democrats looking the other way as their man in Maine, Senate candidate Graham Platner, implodes. A Nazi symbol tattoo and lies about military heroes and racist comments and accusations he became violent with ex-girlfriends be damned. Platner is Bernie Sanders’ and Elizabeth Warren’s guy so let’s move on they say.

It won’t be a surprise if Maine citizens support Platner, who says “voters have my back.” Honestly, Maine voters are not the cream of the crop, having elected Miss Disingenuous, Susan Collins, five times.

Someone recently said there are 330 million Americans and asked, why is it so difficult to find 100 senators (and 435 representatives) without baggage? Or, as Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin put it, she’s sick of the recurring “bad behavior by another dude.”

And the most morally corrupt dude was just invited for a tour of the Hope and Change dude’s new library.

It wouldn’t surprise me if Obama’s former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who infamously railed, “God damn America!” is now muttering, “God help Barack Obama.”

SURREAL OLIVE BRANCH