Obama touts grassroots leadership in first post-presidency public remarks

Barack Obama.
(Image credit: Screenshot/Fortune)

At the University of Chicago on Monday, former President Barack Obama offered his first public remarks since leaving office in January. Obama recalled his past as a community organizer in Chicago, and said his "next job" will be to help "prepare the next generation of leadership to take up the baton."

Obama was at the school to serve as a moderator for a civic engagement discussion panel featuring six Chicago-area students, and he questioned the students about how the country can tackle "the barriers discouraging young people from a life of service." While he avoided mentioning President Trump in his remarks, Obama did begin by joking: "What's been going on while I've been gone?"

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us