Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

applegrove

(131,333 posts)
Sun Feb 15, 2026, 05:14 PM Sunday

Obama Says Democrats Need to Get Younger

Obama Says Democrats Need to Get Younger

February 15, 2026 at 5:02 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 0 Comments

https://politicalwire.com/2026/02/15/obama-says-democrats-need-to-get-younger/


“Former President Barack Obama is urging the Democratic Party to invest in younger candidates if it wants to come out victorious in the 2026 midterm elections and, eventually, the 2028 presidential election,” Politico reports.

Said Obama: “I’m a pretty healthy 64, feel great, but the truth is, half of the references that my daughters make about social media, TikTok and such, I don’t know who they’re talking about. There is an element of, at some point, you age out. You’re not connected directly to the immediate struggles that folks are going through.”
42 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Obama Says Democrats Need to Get Younger (Original Post) applegrove Sunday OP
He is very right. You need the younger in-touch folks. Srkdqltr Sunday #1
No shit. RockRaven Sunday #2
I would love to get younger. Easterncedar Sunday #3
Same here! greatauntoftriplets Sunday #7
Me three! QueerDuck Sunday #8
I don't go outside much. I don't get much sun. Fewer wrinkles. applegrove Sunday #13
Ha ha ha ha ha. LisaM Sunday #22
That's obviously deliberately bullshit framing iemanja Sunday #24
Yes, it is obvious MorbidButterflyTat Sunday #37
He's right about refreshing the pool of candidates and people in office but... Renew Deal Sunday #4
We can always keep losing iemanja Sunday #25
Not sure I get your point Renew Deal Sunday #29
The older politicians are good at several things: Aussie105 Sunday #5
This message was self-deleted by its author PeaceWave Sunday #6
👍🍷 QueerDuck Sunday #10
He's not a Democrat NewHendoLib Sunday #11
Interestingly, nearly everyone I knew who volunteered for Bernie was under 30. progressoid Sunday #12
So did my dentist, until moonscape Sunday #16
Bernie is one of the very few politicians who see how young people have been impacted by Autumn Sunday #17
This message was self-deleted by its author PeaceWave Sunday #28
No I don't think they would have voted for Yoda if given the chance. progressoid Sunday #35
Sanders is a political anomoly Renew Deal Sunday #30
This message was self-deleted by its author PeaceWave Sunday #38
Bravo NewHendoLib Sunday #9
At last. Someone who sees what the party must do. Autumn Sunday #14
Maybe he can convince some of the older ones to step aside and the kids take over. progressoid Sunday #15
I agree some of the oldest need to step aside, imaginary girl Sunday #18
Please call Schumer. Intractable Sunday #19
It's painfully obvious awesomerwb1 Sunday #20
I wish some people in our government would learn that SunImp Sunday #21
The generational gap is bigger than I have ever seen it. LisaM Sunday #23
President Truman ITAL Sunday #26
HE IS CORRECT Skittles Sunday #27
I agree and good to hear Obama say what some have been saying but some here have missed the point Deuxcents Sunday #34
This short vid shows the problem. BidenRocks Sunday #31
"There is no sadder thing than a young pessimist except an old optimist." Mark Twain Ping Tung Sunday #32
As usual President Obama knows his shit kwolf68 Sunday #33
At 76, I'd Love To Get Younger! 😇 ColoringFool Sunday #36
The entire interview is well worth watching Martin Eden Monday #39
"You're not connected directly to the immediate struggles that folks are going through." OldBaldy1701E Monday #40
Yes! Democrats need to completely overhaul their messaging. yardwork Monday #41
MVP Harris is already stepping into the gap... PunkinPi Monday #42

RockRaven

(19,006 posts)
2. No shit.
Sun Feb 15, 2026, 05:19 PM
Sunday

One can decry "age discrimination" until one is blue in the face -- it won't change how the general public thinks/feels. And some degree of meeting the public where they are at, rather than where one thinks they ought to be, is necessary if one wants to win. Do we want to win, or do we want to be self-righteous?

iemanja

(57,677 posts)
24. That's obviously deliberately bullshit framing
Sun Feb 15, 2026, 07:52 PM
Sunday

It’s not what Obama said. You can see that from the excerpt.

It’s a trash site.

Renew Deal

(84,826 posts)
4. He's right about refreshing the pool of candidates and people in office but...
Sun Feb 15, 2026, 05:21 PM
Sunday

Last edited Sun Feb 15, 2026, 08:01 PM - Edit history (1)

I'm not convinced that the young understand "the immediate struggles that folks are going through" for older people either.

Aussie105

(7,744 posts)
5. The older politicians are good at several things:
Sun Feb 15, 2026, 05:23 PM
Sunday

1. An addiction to perceived power and actual income.

2. Minimizing effort in their jobs.

3. Keeping young upstarts at bay.

Obama is one of the few smart enough to realize there is a point at which you have peaked and it is time to retire.
But few are.

There is a lower age limit for being in politics, why not an upper limit?

Response to applegrove (Original post)

progressoid

(52,900 posts)
12. Interestingly, nearly everyone I knew who volunteered for Bernie was under 30.
Sun Feb 15, 2026, 05:47 PM
Sunday

There were a couple of paid operatives who were older but the vast majority of his "crew" were young.

Edited to add that virtually everyone in my kid's high school wanted to vote for him. Sometimes it's more about attitude than age.

moonscape

(5,662 posts)
16. So did my dentist, until
Sun Feb 15, 2026, 05:58 PM
Sunday

Bernie wasn’t the candidate. Then he voted for … yep! 🤦‍♀️

Autumn

(48,884 posts)
17. Bernie is one of the very few politicians who see how young people have been impacted by
Sun Feb 15, 2026, 05:58 PM
Sunday

our economic system and Bernie shouts it from the rooftops. But most older entrenched politicians don't seem to care.

Response to progressoid (Reply #12)

progressoid

(52,900 posts)
35. No I don't think they would have voted for Yoda if given the chance.
Sun Feb 15, 2026, 09:56 PM
Sunday

Yoda doesn't have a position student loans or gender rights. My kids and her friends like Yoda, but they aren't fatuous.

Regardless, it would seem prudent to target young people even if they can't yet vote. In pursuit of that goal, our local Democrats have started a voter education and outreach to engage teenagers - similar to a program engage with new immigrants.

Heck, our youngest started way before high school. She was put in an advanced placement class in the 6th grade. They spent half a semester studying the election. They took it very seriously. Four years later she accompanied me to this event:

https://democraticunderground.com/128089344#

Response to Renew Deal (Reply #30)

progressoid

(52,900 posts)
15. Maybe he can convince some of the older ones to step aside and the kids take over.
Sun Feb 15, 2026, 05:57 PM
Sunday

Haaaaaahahahahaha. Just kidding.

That's unlikely to happen.

I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream of warm impermanence and
So the days float through my eyes
But still, the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're going through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes, turn and face the strange
Ch-ch-changes, don't tell them to grow up and out of it
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes, turn and face the strange
Ch-ch-changes, where's your shame?
You've left us up to our necks in it
Time may change me, but you can't trace time





imaginary girl

(1,012 posts)
18. I agree some of the oldest need to step aside,
Sun Feb 15, 2026, 06:25 PM
Sunday

But I'd hate to see Gen X shoved aside early. Some of them have been in office learning the ropes and waiting for their turn. Doesn't mean they should be put out to pasture with the older generations just because they aren't as social media saavy. They can hire staff for that, you know ...

Intractable

(1,824 posts)
19. Please call Schumer.
Sun Feb 15, 2026, 06:36 PM
Sunday

I think Schumer knows he's a drain on the party, but doesn't care. There's AIPAC and Wall Street to serve.

SunImp

(2,669 posts)
21. I wish some people in our government would learn that
Sun Feb 15, 2026, 07:34 PM
Sunday

"There is an element of, at some point, you age out. You’re not connected directly to the immediate struggles that folks are going through.”

LisaM

(29,573 posts)
23. The generational gap is bigger than I have ever seen it.
Sun Feb 15, 2026, 07:50 PM
Sunday

I personally like to see all the generations represented, in the workplace, in government, in the movies, you name it. I think that is the healthiest way to function.

ITAL

(1,296 posts)
26. President Truman
Sun Feb 15, 2026, 07:54 PM
Sunday

I saw a lecture by a historian once where he said that one of Truman's favorite jokes was (I'm paraphrasing because i don't remember it exactly).

The reason the Senate has the Committee on Foreign Relations and the House of Representatives has the Foreign Affairs Committee is because Senators are too old to have affairs.

Skittles

(170,457 posts)
27. HE IS CORRECT
Sun Feb 15, 2026, 08:00 PM
Sunday

I am SICK of seeing the same old faces for DECADES - PASS THE FUCKING BATON ALREADY.

Deuxcents

(26,237 posts)
34. I agree and good to hear Obama say what some have been saying but some here have missed the point
Sun Feb 15, 2026, 08:40 PM
Sunday

He’s not saying all older leaders need to opt out but they should have been a mentor for a while now because of course, we need experience. The younger generation he’s talking about know how to connect with younger voters and get them involved. There are many in the House n Senate that need to step aside as times and techniques have changed and so must the way they’re met.

BidenRocks

(3,027 posts)
31. This short vid shows the problem.
Sun Feb 15, 2026, 08:13 PM
Sunday

The speaker is Xioma. He is a savant on languages and has a youtube channel. @xiaomanyc
Watch and think about this.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/oj4wYbiP6V8

OldBaldy1701E

(10,805 posts)
40. "You're not connected directly to the immediate struggles that folks are going through."
Mon Feb 16, 2026, 08:25 AM
Monday

This may be the wisest thing he has ever said.

And, he has said some wise things.

This is the main problem with our governmental entity. We have allowed them to create a new 'nobility' class. They are not connected to the population in general, and they want it that way. We suffer from this every day. They don't care about us, except as to how many of us are making them richer.

But, we won't change it. Because the programming worked.

yardwork

(69,136 posts)
41. Yes! Democrats need to completely overhaul their messaging.
Mon Feb 16, 2026, 08:25 AM
Monday

Hire young people, run young candidates.

PunkinPi

(5,259 posts)
42. MVP Harris is already stepping into the gap...
Mon Feb 16, 2026, 09:14 AM
Monday

with the rebrand launch of Headquarters which is Gen-Z led...

Welcome to Headquarters, the new Gen-Z led progressive content hub.

Headquarters (@headquartersnews.bsky.social) 2026-02-05T16:46:39.658Z
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Obama Says Democrats Need...