Where are Obama and Clinton?
While former President Barack Obama did post on X in the days following the first presidential debate and former President Bill Clinton did as well, both Democratic leaders have largely remained out of the spotlight.
So where have they been?
Exactly where they should be right now: behind the scenes, acting as sounding boards with other party leaders like former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, donors and members of Congress.
Bad debate nights happen. Trust me, I know. But this election is still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary folks his entire life and someone who only cares about himself. Between someone who tells the truth; who knows right from wrong and will give it to the…
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) June 28, 2024
Because while both Obama and Clinton are widely respected elder statesmen, there are several reasons why they can’t just put an end to the re-election drama surrounding President Joe Biden and tell the party who should be the nominee in August.
For one thing, the Democratic Party — including party insiders — do not like being told what to do (most of the time). Hillary Clinton didn’t win the nomination in 2008 even though she had the strong endorsement of her husband. And the progressive wing of the party didn’t love it when Obama came close to endorsing Clinton during the primary process in 2016.
A clear and unified statement could certainly tamp down some of the speculation about whether the party should take a different route for the nominee — and that uncertainty is one of the biggest challenges right now. But while both men are generational talents as politicians, even Obama has been out of the electoral game for 12 years. County, district and state maps as well as voter outreach strategies have changed a lot since then.
Obama and Clinton swooping in to tell everyone what to do could backfire in other ways as well.
Obama and Clinton swooping in to tell everyone what to do could backfire in other ways as well. As imperfect (to put it mildly) as this moment is in the Democratic Party, it’s important that any debate within the party is conducted fairly and legitimately.
I don’t know what is going to happen, and with every day that passes it feels more likely Biden will hold on. But once a final decision is made, Democrats will need all the party unity they can muster. And that means Obama and Clinton are smart to wait until the question is settled to weigh in. That’s the moment when they can maximize their collective impact. This may happen next week, or the week after, or maybe at the convention. But once it does happen, the focus can return back to Donald Trump and the true threat America is still facing.
Clinton and Obama remain two of the most popular politicians in the Democratic Party, and their voices will be needed on the campaign trail.
A story you should be following: New SCOTUS ethics probes
With everything else going on this week, you may have missed key members of the Senate Judiciary Committee — and one very well-known House member — getting a bit spicier when it comes to holding two of the most ethically dubious members of the Supreme Court accountable.
On Tuesday, Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and Ron Wyden, D.-Ore., urged Attorney General Merrick Garland to appoint a special counsel to investigate the alleged ethics violations of Justice Clarence Thomas. In their letter to Garland, Whitehouse and Wyden cited a “willful pattern of disregard for ethics laws” by Thomas, suggesting that his conduct surpasses that of other government officials previously investigated by the Department of Justice for similar issues.
This escalation didn’t come out of nowhere. Thomas’ concurring opinion in Trump v. United States questioned the legality of Jack Smith’s special counsel appointment. While there is no evidence proving Thomas wrote this opinion with the knowledge that he could someday become the subject of a special counsel investigation himself, it’s hard not to see the opinion as “convenient” — to say the least.
At the same time, in the House of Representatives, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez filed articles of impeachment against both Thomas and Justice Samuel Alito. While the articles are not going to advance in the Republican-controlled House, Ocasio-Cortez’s move marks one of the boldest efforts yet from Democrats to push for accountability — at least in the court of public opinion.
Someone you should know: Team USA swimmer Katie Grimes
Those of you following my personal Instagram already know I have been counting down the days to the Paris Olympics. One of the athletes in this year’s Games I am absolutely floored by is USA swimming star Katie Grimes.
In the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Grimes was the youngest member of Team USA at just 15 years old and finished fourth in the women’s 800-meter freestyle. She secured her ticket to Paris with a third-place finish in the 10K open-water swim at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka.
Despite similarities between Grimes and fellow swim star Katie Ledecky, who qualified for her first Olympics at 15, the two athletes are friends, not rivals. In fact, Ledecky is incredibly supportive of her fellow swimmer. The duo has even earned the nickname “Katie squared.”
California Sen. Alex Padilla’s weekend routine
What show are you bingeing right now?
A little late to the party on this one, but I’m catching up on “This Is Us.” I’m also getting ready to binge the Olympics and cheer on America’s athletes as they go for gold in Paris!
What’s the last book you read?
“La Nueva California” by David Hayes-Bautista. It’s a fascinating perspective on the history of Latinos in California — and a glimpse at the future of the United States.
What time do you wake up on the weekends?
6 a.m. I have three kids!
How do you take your coffee?
Usually with light cream. Sometimes I treat myself with half a packet of sugar.
Jen Psaki is the host of "The Briefing with Jen Psaki" airing Tuesdays through Fridays at 9 p.m. EST. She is the former White House press secretary for President Joe Biden.