The Candid Chat Comes As the U.S. Looks Forward to 2026, the Midterm Elections and More
Former President Barack Obama used a public conversation in Bentonville, Arkansas, to make one point unmistakably clear: the country’s future belongs to the next generation, and the older political class needs to step back.
Speaking with Olivia Walton at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Obama reflected on his White House years, the vision behind his presidential library opening in Chicago in 2026, and the leadership he believes America needs as it approaches the 2026 midterms.
When asked what he hoped the library would achieve, Obama fully embraced the idea of generational change. He said his belief is that many of today’s challenges would be addressed more effectively, “if old folks get out of the way and we turn the reins over to this next generation that is coming up,” arguing that young leaders are better equipped to bring “good old-fashioned American values to new sets of problems.”
Obama, who introduced himself jokingly as “Michelle’s husband,” also took a swipe at modern media habits. He admitted he hasn’t watched cable news in about 15 years, a decision he credited with helping him maintain his famously calm demeanor.
“People said, ‘Mr. President, you always seem so calm. No drama, Obama,’” he told the audience, prompting laughter. “I don’t watch the news. It’s genuinely true. I haven’t watched cable news in about 15 years… I don’t scroll, I’m old school and I read a pretty wide mix of publications.”
The conversation stretched from Obama’s reflections on leaders who rose to the occasion during his presidency to something far more personal: moments of quiet he longed for while in the White House. He described a recurring dream where he sat anonymously on a bench, with no Secret Service detail and no one asking him to solve a crisis.
“I’d realize at some point that nobody knew who I was, and there was no secret service, and I’d just sit on a bench and sip on a soda pop,” he said. “It was really nice.”
The appearance marked the launch of Crystal Bridges’ new “Building Bridges” lecture series, which aims to celebrate meeting in the middle with curiosity, courage, and care. Obama welcomed the intention behind the series, though he cautioned the audience about the fragile state of American democracy.
“I think it is true that we are more divided and that our democracy is more unstable than any time in my lifetime,” he said. While acknowledging that the country has faced darker chapters historically, he emphasized that he never expected to see the legitimacy of an election or the peaceful transfer of power openly challenged. “I thought that was not something that would happen today.”
He closed by underscoring that a healthy democracy requires trust and accountability. “Our democracy requires that nobody is above the law, and that as best we can wield it, the power of the state is wielded in an objective way that people can trust,” he said. He warned that several foundational norms “have been eroded, actively undermined, in some cases,” underscoring the work ahead for both current and emerging leaders.
