Shaniqua McClendon leads ‘Crooked Media’, the force behind the popular ‘Pod Save America’ podcast featuring the so-called ‘Obama Bros’—a group of former aides to President Obama.
In a recent appearance on MSNBC, McClendon made an intriguing suggestion: she believes that Obama should take a more active role as a former president. In fact, she proposed that he should hold press conferences to respond every time former President Trump says or does something deemed ‘crazy.’
This call for Obama’s re-engagement raises a pivotal question about the current state of the Democratic Party. Nearly a decade has passed since Obama left office, and McClendon’s plea implies a troubling dependency on a leader from the past to guide them through contemporary challenges. In this time, the Democrats have struggled to cultivate a leader who can capture public and media attention as Obama did.
Rather than confronting this evident leadership vacuum, McClendon and her peers seem to yearn for a return to the era when Obama was at the helm, a nostalgic longing that underscores the party’s challenges.
Jason Cohen from the Daily Caller highlighted this moment on Twitter/X, sharing some of McClendon’s notable quotes from her segment:
“I think if we are in a moment of crisis — and if you’ve ever led this country — you should still care about this country enough to be out there.”
“I’ve had this crazy thought that if every time Donald Trump did something crazy or said something crazy, Barack Obama should have like a press conference or something.”
“Most Democrats are not Barack Obama. They can’t command attention the way he can.”
“We are in a really dire situation.”
For those who watch the full clip, McClendon asserts, “Our rights are being taken away every day.” This statement begs for clarification—what rights exactly? Such hyperbolic rhetoric is often echoed by certain factions on the left, frequently without challenge from mainstream media.
Watch the discussion here:
NEW: MSNBC Panelist Shaniqua McClendon says Dems so *DESPERATE* that Obama should step up and be in the spotlight non-stop
“I think if we are in a moment of crisis — and if you’ve ever led this country — you should still care about this country enough to be out there.”… pic.twitter.com/SiRkpfVUoN
— Jason Cohen (@JasonJournoDC) July 19, 2025
However, it’s essential to recognize that the return of Obama—or even Michelle, who has repeatedly distanced herself from any political aspirations—won’t offer a solution to the Democratic Party’s quandaries. If the Democrats are genuinely invested in their future, it’s time they embrace new leadership instead of longing for the days of Obama.
