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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: Im 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 dont know who theyre talking about. There is an element of, at some point, you age out. Youre not connected directly to the immediate struggles that folks are going through.
Srkdqltr
(9,611 posts)RockRaven
(19,006 posts)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?
Easterncedar
(5,909 posts)Any tips?
greatauntoftriplets
(178,741 posts)QueerDuck
(1,322 posts)🤣😂🤪
applegrove
(131,333 posts)LisaM
(29,573 posts)That was funny.
iemanja
(57,677 posts)Its not what Obama said. You can see that from the excerpt.
Its a trash site.
MorbidButterflyTat
(4,343 posts)Renew Deal
(84,826 posts)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.
iemanja
(57,677 posts)Will that benefit seniors?
Renew Deal
(84,826 posts)Aussie105
(7,744 posts)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)
PeaceWave This message was self-deleted by its author.
🤣😂👍
NewHendoLib
(61,743 posts)progressoid
(52,900 posts)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)Bernie wasnt the candidate. Then he voted for yep! 🤦♀️
Autumn
(48,884 posts)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)
PeaceWave This message was self-deleted by its author.
progressoid
(52,900 posts)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#
Renew Deal
(84,826 posts)He hasn't been corrupted by his time in office.
Response to Renew Deal (Reply #30)
PeaceWave This message was self-deleted by its author.
NewHendoLib
(61,743 posts)Autumn
(48,884 posts)Thank you President Obama.
progressoid
(52,900 posts)Haaaaaahahahahaha. Just kidding.
That's unlikely to happen.
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)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)I think Schumer knows he's a drain on the party, but doesn't care. There's AIPAC and Wall Street to serve.
awesomerwb1
(5,056 posts)SunImp
(2,669 posts)"There is an element of, at some point, you age out. Youre not connected directly to the immediate struggles that folks are going through.
LisaM
(29,573 posts)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)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)I am SICK of seeing the same old faces for DECADES - PASS THE FUCKING BATON ALREADY.
Deuxcents
(26,237 posts)Hes 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 hes 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 theyre met.
BidenRocks
(3,027 posts)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
Ping Tung
(4,287 posts)kwolf68
(8,378 posts)He is right
ColoringFool
(486 posts)Martin Eden
(15,488 posts)Lots of takeaways.
https://m.
OldBaldy1701E
(10,805 posts)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)Hire young people, run young candidates.
PunkinPi
(5,259 posts)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