Former US President Barack Obama stirred controversy during his speech at the ‘Democracy Forum’ on Thursday, where he criticised the use of the justice system to target political opponents.
His remarks, interpreted as a swipe at Republicans, raised eyebrows, with critics accusing him of hypocrisy given the Democrats’ stance on election integrity and legal actions against former President Donald Trump.
Obama described the current political climate as a “doom loop” of polarisation and government dysfunction, adding that partisans increasingly believe the other side is rigging the system.
The former US President stated, “One side tries to stack the deck and lock in… a permanent grip on power, either by actively suppressing votes or politicising the armed forces or using the judiciary criminal justice system to go after opponents.”
Criticism online
Obama’s comments triggered a wave of reactions online, many accusing him and the Democrats of projecting their alleged tactics onto others.
One user remarked, “Sounds like it’s the same old playbook for the Democrats. Accuse others of what they are doing is actually their number one play.”
Another added, “Bro lacks a mirror.”
A critic said, “Obama talking about rigged elections is like a thief blaming someone else for the robbery. He built the system that’s doing exactly what he’s whining about.”
Others mocked the pause Obama took during his statement, with one commenter noting, “Almost broke character for a sec.”
