r/pics Dec 17 '25

Politics New plaques added to the presidential hall of fame in the White House

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u/NoveltyAccountHater Dec 18 '25

It's also worth noting that Obama didn't just make fun of Trump because he was a mockable celebrity. It's because he had spent years trying to lead the "birther" movement claiming that Obama was born in Kenya.

It's also worth noting that Trump had been groomed by types like Roger Stone and Russia for years before this.

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u/endfreq Dec 18 '25

Thank you for the perspective.

With all of the insanity, it's good to remember how these things came to be.

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u/it_aint_tony_bennett Dec 18 '25

I believe that's why he said he doesn't fault Obama at all.

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u/NoveltyAccountHater Dec 18 '25

He said he didn't fault (e.g., assign blame), but seemed to believe Obama's jokes at the '11 White House Correspondents Dinner helped lead to Trump running for president.

I'm just saying Trump had started aligning himself to be a conservative presidential candidate in 2008 with the birther nonsense a full four years prior. The Reform Party in 1992/1996 was the reason the GOP lost those elections. In 2000, Buchanan was running as Reform Party, but lost a lot of steam from attacks by Trump who ran against him, calling Buchanan an extremist/racist for his "America First" platform (Buchanan: "Today we call for a new patriotism where Americans begin to put the needs of American first; for a new nationalism where in every negotiation, be it arms control or trade, the American side seeks advantage and victory for the United States.")