Having President Barack Obama on for a sit-down interview, was an ambitious undertaking for former NBA players Matt Barnes, Stephen Jackson and their award-winning “All The Smoke” podcast.
Both players immediately swallowed a bottle of act right with Obama in the building and asked some pertinent and viable questions to the former commander in chief about the state of the world today.
Our current president is much less willing to enlighten, encourage or galvanize people in times of need. His way or the highway style of governing has caused more divide in this country. One that has never fully healed from the devastating effects of slavery, systemic oppression and the systemic destruction of Black families throughout history.
President Obama Joins “All The Smoke Podcast”
Barnes asked Obama, “What would your message to people listening who think we can’t overcome this current divide that we have.”
Obama gave his usual insightful and enlightening word of advice, with an answer that immediately calms the soul instead of inciting anger and delusion, reminding us that the history of this country is one of struggle, triumph and the continuous search for equality for all.
“I think about this a lot. This is the value of history.” Obama said. “I know people feel discouraged right now. Seems like everybody’s angry and the atmosphere is kind of mean. And we’re more isolated socially and politics just seem terrible.”
“Then I have to remind people … alright we’ve gone through slavery, Jim Crow. Michelle’s mom, who grew up in Englewood over here … she basically went to segregated school. If you lived on the South Side of Chicago, you’d go downtown to go to Marshall Field’s or Macy’s. It’s not something that was necessarily encouraged. You go into certain neighborhoods and you get beat up bad,” Obama said.
“Even in the ’60s …We’ve gone through assassinations and riots and Rodney King. So we always have the tendency — partly because the news projects it — to think that our time is uniquely discouraging or tough,” he continued. “And if you study a little bit of history, I do think it gives you that perspective that things go up and down. History doesn’t move in a straight line. And the thing you control is how you react to it. The values you’ve got and there’s always good people out there. There’s always common ground to be found. It’s up to you how much responsibility you have to bring that to the table. How do you show up?”
“Do your part,” Barnes added with a look of reverence that you can’t buy with money.
Fans Of All Races Received Obama’s “All The Smoke” Interview Well
Fans of all races, creeds and colors chimed in, proving how unifying Obama’s voice is.
“He might literally be the most ARTICULATE human of our time…or any time! A master of the English language,” one fan said.
“In other words, don’t respond to hate with hate,” another added.
“The way he speaks reminds me a lot of Nelson Mandela,” one adoring user commented.
“Obama never responded with hate,” another said.
It seems that Obama is a needed voice. Those who criticized his compassion and compromise in the past are now clamoring for it.
Barnes and Jackson should be commended for the interview which touches on a lot of different topics and comes at a time when sports podcasts have become clout chasing tools of engagement. An interview with Obama is going to get engagement, but the jewels he drops are priceless and never fall on totally deaf ears. The bad boy NBA tandem definitely elevated with this one.
