—blogged by @lovelikejhoney
A Democratic source close to Barack Obama informed CNN of the former president’s latest moves. Recently Obama has met with several Democrats considering running for president in 2020, offering them advice on election preparation in the Trump era and discussing how to position the Democratic Party going forward.
The meetings, which were first reported by Politico, are part of a number of conversations Obama regularly has with top political leaders in Washington from his office in the World Wildlife Fund building in northwest DC.
As the former president plans his future involvement in the 2020 campaign, he meets to evaluate how he can best help the Democratic Party. Some Democrats accused Obama of neglecting them during the 2016 election while others close to the former president argue he is fully invested in the future of the party and the candidates looking to run on 2020.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The candidates Obama has met with so far are:
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren
former Vice President Joe Biden
former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick
New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker
former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti
South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Peter Buttigieg
former Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander
former Attorney General Eric Holder
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Democrats are anticipating a large 2020 field with several notable potential candidates—such as California Sen. Kamala Harris, New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe—who have not yet confirmed their interest in running for the position.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Obama has also had conversations with several Republicans such as Arizona Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake, who has become the most vocal Republican opponent to Trump.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The Democratic source described the meetings as strategic learning. Obama spends “much more time on how to respond to President Trump, positioning and broader challenges with the party.”
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
“He has been very clear about the need for the Democratic Party to rebuild and part of that is lifting up the next generation of leaders,” the Democrat said. “So if people want advice or a gut check or just to come in and look at the challenges we face, he is happy to do that.”
