Former President Barack Obama will publicly reemerge on a national scale this fall in an effort to help the Democratic Party, but the move is worrying some strategists.
An Obama aide told the Hill this will be the beginning of a "delicate dance" that aims to cast Obama in the public eye but prevent him from remaining the face of the Democratic Party.
Close advisers to Obama say he plans to take on a proactive role in helping his party rebuild. Since leaving office, Obama has done fundraising for the Democratic National Committee and National Democratic Redistricting Committee, and has also provided guidance to DNC chairman Tom Perez and lawmakers.
But some critics worry his return to the spotlight will risk bolstering Republican competition.
"He has to be careful," said Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University. "At a moment when President Trump’s approval is falling so fast—including with his base—there is a risk for Obama taking center stage and triggering the energy that many Republicans currently lack."
Cal Jillson, professor of political science at Southern Methodist University, said Trump would revel in Obama's reemergence and use the former president as a target to "direct his fury." This would allow Obama to make room for someone else in the Democratic Party to take the helm, Jillson told the Hill.
"[Obama will] tread lightly because he is not going to be the face of the party when it actually counts in 2020 and 2024," Jillson said. "So the extent to which he would emerge and speak to a wide range of issues would preclude the emergence of someone else. They must find a standard bearer for future elections and I think he can at least in the short term suck up all the available oxygen."
However, one Democratic strategist said Obama and Hillary Clinton should both "hang back at this point" so the party could rebound. Some party members are worried that Clinton and Obama's presence could give the appearance of looking backward, the Hill reported.
"We already lack a party leader, we lack a vision, we lack an identity," the strategist said. "We can’t remain stuck in the past."
"Pundits are always going to overthink and overanalyze the pros and cons of having a former president on the campaign trail, but the truth is, there’s little downside," said Democratic strategist David Wade.
"He has unique convening powers to draw a crowd, energize Democrats, make a closing argument, and then it is up to candidates to close the deal," he said.