Former President Barack Obama is facing a new wave of criticism from the Democratic Party's left flank after cautioning Democrats about going too radical with their policy proposals — in the latest sign of a growing rift between the popular 44th president and the party's activist base.
Obama on Friday warned 2020 Democratic presidential hopefuls to pay attention to what voters actually think, claiming at a gathering of Democratic donors that most of them don’t want to “tear down the system” and that many Democrats “just don’t want to see crazy stuff.” Members of his party soon turned on him, using the hashtag #TooFarLeft.
“I’m #TooFarLeft because I want kids to be safe in school. I’m #TooFarLeft because I want people to live in dignity. I’m #TooFarLeft because I seek justice and equality. I’m #TooFarLeft because I think healthcare and housing are human rights,” tweeted former Hillary Clinton adviser Peter Daou, who started the hashtag.
Daou clarified Sunday evening that the slogan "isn't primarily about Obama for me, though he was the catalyst for the tag."
It quickly went viral, used by other liberal Democrats such as Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar.
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11.28.2024