Former President Barack Obama admitted the defeat of his diversity-driven “pluralism” agenda in a speech delivered December 5 in Chicago. Speaking to a selective audience, Obama called for rebuilding institutions to support diversity and inclusion, following President-elect Donald Trump’s decisive 2024 election victory.
Obama described the United States as unprepared to handle the challenges of diversity without institutional frameworks, saying, “We are not born with the muscles to make pluralism [amid diversity] a habit, it takes practice, and we need to rebuild the institutions that can give us that practice.” His comments reflect an acknowledgment of the setbacks faced by Democrats in pursuing their identity politics platform.
Trump’s coalition, centered on national solidarity and the “Make America Great Again” message, appealed to a broad base of voters across racial and economic lines. Many Muslims voted for Trump, citing dissatisfaction with Democratic support for Israel during the Gaza war. Similarly, feminist and minority voters expressed discontent with Democrat policies on transgender rights and mass migration, which hurt wages and job opportunities.
Obama acknowledged the challenges of navigating diversity, pointing to the post-World War II era as a time of smoother political consensus due to relative societal homogeneity. He admitted Democrats’ struggles to manage identity-driven politics, which he said often foster “singular and static” definitions of individuals, fueling division.
In a striking acknowledgment, Obama urged his progressive supporters to learn from Christian churches and megachurches, which, he said, create inclusive spaces for deeper discussions. He called for forgiveness and framing issues as potential “win/win situations,” while cautioning that rebuilding trust would take generations.
Obama’s speech downplayed his own biracial heritage and excluded mainstream American perspectives, signaling Democrats’ continued reliance on identity politics. With Trump’s victory signaling a rejection of this strategy, Obama’s remarks suggest a long road ahead for the Democratic Party to recalibrate its vision.
