Why Obama saved his harshest critiques of Trump until the campaign's end

[catbyte]

By Dan Merica and Jeff Zeleny, CNN

Updated 4:12 PM ET, Wed October 28, 2020

(CNN) Barack Obama held back his most biting critiques of President Donald Trump in the first years of his post-presidency, hoping the lack of constant attacks would make his voice even more powerful at a time he thought it was most needed. That time, Obama believes, is now.

The former president, according to people close to him, sees his years of holding back on Trump as key to his ability to forcefully attack his successor on behalf of Joe Biden, his former running mate and the man running to unseat a President who has made sullying Obama's legacy central to his political rise.

Obama is now joyfully castigating Trump on behalf of Biden, both laying out his policy differences with his successor and leveling biting indictments of some of Trump's personal obsessions. Obama is paying close attention to Trump's day-to-day actions and has begun to work those critiques into his speeches, needling the President for issues that Democrats know annoy him.

And it is apparent to anyone watching that Obama is enjoying the cathartic release.

snip

https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/28/politics/barack-obama-trump-campaign/index.html

[Guilded Lilly]

1. Yup. I am thoroughly enjoying it, too!

[brewens]

2. Waiting until now makes it tough to respond. If they do, it's wasting time and money on defense.

It also only call attention to things they would like voters to ignore.

[Blue Owl]

3. He has restraint, self-control, and a superior intellect

Meanwhile Flump is floundering around like live chum in a shark zone

[Beartracks]

4. "restraint, self-control, superior intellect" - things Republicans find distasteful.

[lastlib]

5. Dear Little Donny Cockwomble,

This is what a TRUE "stable genius" looks like! Don't it hurt?? You'll feel the burn really HOT in about six days.