Pence: ‘Very disappointing’ to see Obama ‘become so political’

Vice President Pence said it was “very disappointing” to see former President Obama return to the campaign trail and “become so political.” 

“The truth is, the American people in 2016 rejected the policy and direction of Barack Obama when they elected President Donald Trump,” Pence told Fox News in a new interview set to air Sunday. 

“It was very disappointing to see President Obama break with the tradition of former presidents, and become so political and roll out the same tired argument that he and liberals have made over the last eight years,” Pence added.

.@VP tells Chris: “it was very disappointing to see President Obama break with the tradition of former presidents, and become so political…the American people in 2016 rejected the policy and direction of Barack Obama when they elected President Donald Trump.”
Full intv Sunday. pic.twitter.com/WMNDwn93OX

— FoxNewsSunday (@FoxNewsSunday) September 8, 2018

The excerpt of the interview was released one day after Obama issued a blistering rebuke of President Trump in a speech widely regarded as the former president’s return to the political stage. Speaking on Friday at the University of Illinois, Obama accused Trump of “capitalizing on resentments politicians have been fanning for years.”{mosads}

“A fear, an anger that’s rooted in our past, but it’s also born of the upheavals that have taken place in your brief lifetimes,” Obama said.

Though he did not mention Trump by name, Obama continued to take swipes at the president in a separate speech he gave Saturday in Anaheim, Calif.

“It’s always tempting for politicians for their own gain and for people in power to try to see if they can divide people, scapegoat folks, turn them on each other, because when that happens you get gridlock and government doesn’t work and people get cynical and decide to not participate,” he said. 

“That, unfortunately, has been a spiral we’ve been on for the last couple of years,” Obama continued. “If we don’t step up, things can get worse.” 

Upon leaving office, Obama said he wanted to follow in the footsteps of former President George W. Bush, who avoided politics after leaving the White House.

Obama stumped for seven House candidates in California this weekend and has plans to make a stop next week in Ohio for gubernatorial nominee Richard Cordray, his office said. Last month, the former president endorsed 81 federal and state office-seekers.