Chicago City Wire

Steve Cortes, President of the League of American Workers, criticized former President Barack Obama for allegedly missing the opportunity to build a historic legacy and instead deepening division and pursuing radicalism. This statement was made on the social media platform X.

"Obama's legacy could have been historic, as America's first black president," said Cortes. "Instead, he chose division and radicalism at every opportunity."

Recent conservative critiques of Obama's legacy often argue that his presidency exacerbated political and racial divides rather than uniting the country. According to the Heritage Foundation and the New York Post, these critics claim that Obama "frayed the ties that bind us" by politicizing issues such as the Voting Rights Act and selectively enforcing laws. The New York Post further accused him of hypocrisy on gerrymandering, alleging he supported Democratic-friendly maps despite condemning the practice. Critics frame these actions as evidence of partisanship overshadowing unity.

Polling data consistently shows sharp racial and partisan divides in how Americans judged Obama's presidency. Pew Research found that while 81% of Democrats approved of him on average, only 14% of Republicans did, highlighting deep party polarization. Research from Tufts University revealed that throughout his presidency, Black approval ratings were consistently at least 35 points higher than White ratings, reflecting racial divides in public opinion.

Historians' rankings of Obama have generally improved since he left office. A 2024 survey conducted by Vaughn and Rottinghaus placed him 7th among all U.S. presidents, emphasizing moral leadership and institutional norms in reevaluating his presidency. Earlier, C-SPAN's 2017 survey ranked him 12th, citing strengths in equality, economic management, persuasion, and moral authority but noting less impact in crisis leadership compared to past presidents.

According to Keyspeakers.com, Steve Cortes is a conservative political strategist and media commentator with prominent roles in Republican politics. He previously served as a senior spokesman for Donald Trump's 2016 and 2020 campaigns and Ron DeSantis's 2024 Political Action Committee (PAC). Cortes has also worked for 25 years as a financial strategist in global markets and has been a frequent on-air commentator for CNBC, Fox News, and CNN.