Dipping A Toe In The Water

One of the better behind the scenes books I've read on the Presidency is "The President's Club," by Michael Duffy and
Nancy Gibbs. The book looks at Presidential transitions as well as the relationships between sitting and past Presidents. It is a really great read, and I would recommend it highly to anyone.

One of the things you find through this book is how supportive of one another these men (someday maybe I'll get to say people there, huh?) have been on one another. Upon further reflection that seems to be obvious, making you wonder why you haven't noticed it before. Regardless of party affiliation prior Presidents have not criticized sitting Presidents. In fact, since Truman accessed Hoover as a resource current Presidents have reached out to their predecessors with relatively frequency and appreciation.

Our most recent President, Barack Obama, is many things, but ignorant of history and tradition is not one of those things. That said, you could argue that no President in modern times has had to deal with an Administration replacing them which was more diametrically opposed than Trump replacing Obama. This article, ever so briefly, shows the difficult job facing Obama in his post Presidency years. Go too far, you seem like a sore loser. Don't speak up enough and risk your vision for the country going up in flames. President Obama undoubtedly has major reservations, to say the least, about the direction President Trump will take the country. That puts him in a group with over 60% of the population. He just has a bigger bully pulpit, and more risk in making his views known.

Traditionally sitting Presidents have turned to their predecessors because no one but those men know what they are going through. And in that same tradition, former Presidents have deferred to sitting Presidents with respect, because only they truly know how impossible the job is. Somehow I have a sneaking suspicion that this current Administration will bring about a change in this tradition, along with many others. At any rate it should be something to pay attention to.