His presence in Washington will invite news reporters to seek his commentary and criticism of every move Mr. Trump makes. True, he told Mr. Axelrod he agreed with President Washington “that at a certain point, you make room for new voices and fresh legs.”
But he added a huge qualification: “Now, that doesn’t mean that if a year from now or a year and a half from now or two years from now, there is an issue of such moment, such import, that isn’t just a debate about a particular tax bill or a particular policy, but goes to some foundational issues about our democracy that I might not weigh in.”
It’s a safe bet that many of the challenges the Trump administration presents to the Obama legacy will come under Mr. Obama’s heading of “foundational issues of our democracy.” His presence in Washington, not some faraway place like Chicago, will make it difficult to remain above the fray even if he wanted to. As his party’s most admired and most skilled politician, he will receive calls to join the battle early and often.
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
