Former President Barack Obama plans to resurface on to the national scene this fall, albeit slowly, according to The Hill.
In the next few weeks, Obama and his staff will strategize a way allowing him to be part of the political conversation, while not making him the loudest voice in the party.
Aides say his role is to be more behind the scenes than anything else, in terms of fundraising for example, as opposed to a front man.
The Hill notes Obama has already given advice to the party since its devastating 2016 presidential loss, and he met with Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez last July.
However, Obama’s re-emergence to the national scene, described as a “delicate dance,” may not be completely welcomed and could backfire.
Past presidents traditionally leave Washington and do not involve themselves in the national political scene, often opting to involve themselves in charity work and speaking engagements.
However, President Obama’s younger age, as opposed to most former presidents, as well as his history of a political community organizing sets him up to continue work for the Democrats for years to come. His renewed public presence could reenergize Republicans and conservatives who feel Trump is not being treated fairly by the media.
“He has to be careful,” Julian Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University told The Hill. “At a moment when President Trump’s approval is falling so fast—including with his base—there is a risk for Obama taking center stage and triggering the energy that many Republicans currently lack.”
President Obama could begin his journey in the public eye by campaigning for Democrat Ralph Northam’s run for Virginia governor. (RELATED: Obama Going Back To Campaigning Months After Leaving Office)
David Turner, a campaign spokesman for the Northam camp, told The Washington Post last June that Obama promised to campaign for Northman in the state that the former president won in 2008 and 2012.
