President Barack Obama's motorcade awaits the commander in-chief's arrival at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, after his weekend trip to Florida on Sunday, June 5, 2016. Monday, White House sources told news media that Obama might formally endorse Democratic contender Hillary Clinton this week, especially if she locks up her party's nomination in Tuesday's primaries in six states, including California. The sources said Obama is eager to hit the campaign trail for Clinton. Pool photo by Jim Lo Scalzo/UPI |
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WASHINGTON, June 6 (UPI) -- With less than eight months remaining in his second term, President Barack Obama is actively looking beyond Jan. 20, 2017 -- reportedly chomping at the bit to hit the road in behalf of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.
According to White House sources, Obama has already entered into talks with Clinton's campaign managers to hammer out ideas on where and when it would be most effective for the commander in-chief to begin stumping for the former secretary of state.
Obama, who will leave office on Jan. 20, has yet to endorse Clinton or her persistent Democratic rival, Bernie Sanders. But sources say that will probably change sometime this week.
"He has indicated he wants to spend a lot of time on the campaign trail, so when it's time to do that, we'll go out guns blazing," White House Communications Director Jennifer Psaki said. "We are actively thinking through how to use the president on the campaign trail -- what works for the nominee, what works for him, and how to utilize his strengths and his appeal."
While the prospect of a sitting president stumping aggressively for their party's candidate is hardly unprecedented, it is somewhat unusual. In recent decades, occupants of the White House have only played a very limited role on the campaign trail -- due to diminished popularity by the end of their administrations.
Former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton saw substantially weaker approval ratings by the end of their time in office, which made campaigning for John McCain and Al Gore, respectively, only marginally helpful.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton acknowledges supporters after addressing a Women for Hillary organizing event at West Los Angeles College in Culver City, Calif., on Friday, June 3, 2016. The event was attended by elected officials and noteworthy female actresses, including Jamie King, Sally Field, Sophia Bush, Elizabeth Banks, Mary Steenburgen, Debra Messing and Garcelle Beauvais. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
Not so with Obama, who held a 52 percent approval rating in a Gallup Poll last month. Further, he holds an average rating of 47 percent for his entire presidency, Gallup says. Obama has also made solid recent strides, climbing back into the 50th percentile since February, according to data.
By contrast, Bush's rating was in the 20s and 30s during his final year in office. Clinton enjoyed a high approval rating in his final year, but lingering negative sentiment from the high-profile scandals of his presidency neutralized much of his impact on the campaign trail.
When he does hit the road, Obama is said to be particularly eager to take on Republican nominee Donald Trump. Some analysts say if Clinton locks up the nomination Tuesday after primaries in six states -- California, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota -- Obama will likely follow with an official endorsement.
Obama's enthusiasm to help push the Democratic nominee over the finish line on Nov. 8 has appeared evident in some of his recent speeches. At the U.S. Air Force Academy commencement last week, he criticized the GOP -- and even first lady Michelle Obama took what sounded like a shot at Trump during her commencement speech at the City College of New York.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Monday that Obama alone will decide when to offer an endorsement, but added that he may have a "better sense of where the race is headed" after Tuesday's primaries.
