Obama portrait ceremony shows how far from normal things have become

Fresno CA

Description

The Obamas were back at the White House on Wednesday. The fact it took this long tells the tale of America’s bitter, fractured politics. The former first couple attended the unveiling of their official White House portraits — an honor accorded to all former Presidents and their spouses. The 44th President was back at his old digs earlier this year for a health care event with President Joe Biden, but it will be Michelle Obama’s first return since she handed the presidential mansion over to the Trumps on January 20, 2017. Generally, the portrait ceremony takes place during the succeeding presidency – typically a lighthearted affair to show bipartisanship and continuity across party lines. Yet, to no one’s surprise, Obama’s portrait dedication didn’t happen during his successor’s White House term; ex-President Donald Trump had no interest in sharing the presidential limelight with anyone. And Obama was hardly going to stand beside the man who authored a racist conspiracy theory that he wasn’t born in the United States. So it has fallen to Biden to do the honors. (Not to mention Trump's problem with black people.)