As Abdul El-Sayed prepares to appear alongside former President Barack Obama at a Michigan rally, past critiques of Obama's presidency penned by El-Sayed have resurfaced. In a 2012 op-ed published for HuffPost, El-Sayed expressed disappointment with Obama's administration, stating that his election to a second term felt like a compromise for progressives.
"I realize that I have little hope because there has been less change," El-Sayed wrote in the piece, published shortly after the 2012 presidential election. "But I have to say now what I’ve been holding in throughout his campaign and what I think all of us have to admit: Obama was not the right choice — he just wasn’t the wrong one."
El-Sayed’s 2013 op-ed specifically criticized Obama's foreign policy, including strikes in Pakistan and Yemen, as well as the domestic economy and the perceived lack of progress in the acceptance of Muslim Americans. "At home our economy continues to stagnate; its victims are so many of my peers who had also invested in ‘hope and change’ four years ago, who cannot find meaningful work," he wrote.
Despite his criticisms, El-Sayed confirmed he had voted for Obama in both the 2008 and 2012 elections, viewing his presidency as a preferable alternative to Republican nominee Mitt Romney. He described Obama's reelection as "no victory" for progressives, but rather "the rock we chose over the hard place."
Obama has not yet officially endorsed El-Sayed in his Senate campaign, a primary race he won against Rep. Haley Stevens. However, Obama announced his intention to appear with El-Sayed and other Michigan Democrats at a rally scheduled for October 24. "Looking forward to being in Detroit on 10/24 to campaign for Jocelyn Benson, Abdul El-Sayed and Democrats up and down the ballot in Michigan," Obama posted on social media.
El-Sayed, a progressive candidate, has advocated for policies such as Medicare for All, tuition-free higher education, and the elimination of corporate tax loopholes, aligning with some of the goals he outlined in his critiques of the Obama era. His campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the 2012 op-ed and his current views on Obama's legacy.