Barack Obama in the Trump Era
The Political Scene | The New Yorker
The New Yorker
4.3 • 3.9K Ratings
🗓️ 11 May 2026
⏱️ 28 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The contributing writer Peter Slevin met with Barack Obama at the new Obama Presidential Center, which opens next month, in Chicago, and asked him the question on a lot of Democrats’ minds: Where is he, and why isn’t he doing more to help the country in a moment of crisis? Slevin shares excerpts from his interview, during which Obama explains the limits of his role, and why he should no longer be the figurehead for his party. Slevin also speaks with David Remnick about why the famously optimistic President has lost some of his confidence in the American prospect. “I would be dishonest if I didn’t acknowledge that,” Obama admitted.
Further reading:
- “Barack Obama Considers His Role in the Age of Trump,” by Peter Slevin
- “Presidents’ Days: From Obama to Trump,” by David Remnick
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| 0:00.0 | If you're a fan of the political scene podcast from The New Yorker, I hope you'll join us for a live taping of the show at 92 NY in Manhattan. |
| 0:09.3 | We're going to be talking about Donald Trump's falling approval numbers, the prospects of a comeback for the Democratic Party in the midterms. |
| 0:18.5 | And let's just say the potential threats to the integrity of the election that are coming from the president. |
| 0:25.1 | I hope you'll join me, Evan Osnos, and my colleagues Susan Glasser and Jane Mayer on June 4th at 7 p.m. |
| 0:32.3 | Ticket information is at 92NY.org. |
| 0:46.3 | You're listening to the political scene. |
| 0:47.4 | I'm David Remnick. |
| 0:50.3 | Early each week, we bring you a conversation from our episode of The New Yorker Radio Hour. |
| 0:54.2 | The New Yorker Radio Hour is a co-production of WNYC and The New Yorker. |
| 1:03.5 | Welcome to The New Yorker Radio Hour. I'm David Remnick. |
| 1:07.0 | The Obama Presidential Center opens next month on the Chicago Lakeshore. |
| 1:11.6 | It has the usual replica of the Oval Office and many floors of art installations by some spectacular living artists, |
| 1:19.1 | but it also describes itself not as a museum, but as a center for civic engagement. |
| 1:24.7 | Yeah, we've got a storytelling booth, so we want every visitor to go in there and talk |
| 1:30.8 | about their own lives and what's happening in their communities and what frustrations |
| 1:36.1 | they have and what changes they think they could bring about. |
| 1:41.0 | Much like working did back then, except this will be digitally recorded. |
| 1:45.2 | Tickets to visit went on sale this week. |
| 1:49.2 | When Barack Obama left office in January of 2017, his approval ratings were relatively high, |
| 1:56.4 | and yet he was handing over the reins to a man whose policy and character was in every way |
| 2:02.8 | a repudiation of what Obama meant to people. Trump promised to undo Obama's accomplishments. |
| 2:09.2 | Nearly every one, he would end the Iran nuclear deal. He would certainly go after Obamacare. |
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