Former president Barack Obama is facing criticism from some for not speaking out more forcefully, or specifically, against the current administration, and Ana Navarro of “The View” is among them. And on Friday’s episode of the ABC talk show, she disagreed with her co-hosts who largely stuck to the common argument that the Obamas don’t owe anyone anything.
The topic led the day’s discussions, with moderator Joy Behar — she fills in for Whoopi Goldberg on Fridays — citing a recent New York Times article that pointed out that Obama’s remarks during a rare public appearance this week warned against the current state of things, but never mentioned Trump by name.
“Because he’s a gentleman, that’s why,” Behar joked.
But, where her co-hosts argued that the Obamas don’t have any obligation to speak out against Trump directly — Sunny Hostin opined that those who are “complicit in what is happening” have more of an responsibility than the Obamas — Navarro strongly disagreed.
“I love that Obama is leading his best life right now. He’s happy. He’s making money, he’s making movies, he’s doing all sorts of things,” she said. “But you know what? America is in danger. Our democratic values are in danger. And I think that if you feel that way, each and every one of us has got to do everything we absolutely can.”
“Some of us have a bigger voice,” Navarro continued. “Some of us have a smaller voice. Some of us have a bigger platform, some of us have a smaller platform. But if we are all Americans and we care about the democratic values that are under threat and under attack by Donald Trump, then we have a duty and a responsibility as citizens to do everything we can.”
Navarro prefaced her thoughts by acknowledging that, “in normal times,” former presidents would refrain from criticizing their successors, especially in the first year of their takeover.
“Well, this isn’t a honeymoon period, this is a nightmare,” she said. “And it’s an American nightmare, these are not normal times.”
The host also pointed out that there have been moments in history where past presidents have come together to speak unanimously on a situation, and argued that they should do so once again.
“It has been meaningful, historically. And I think this is one of those moments,” she said. “I think this is such a difficult time in American history right now, where all living presidents — including George W. Bush, including Bill Clinton, including Joe Biden, including Barack Obama — should step up and say, ‘Look, we’ve done the job, and this guy is not doing the job well. He’s doing it for himself, not for the country.’”
You can watch the full discussion from “The View” in the video above.
