Actor Kal Penn, a former aide to President Obama, defended his old boss on the “Hasan Minhaj Doesn’t Know” podcast, suggesting that viewing Obama’s presidency through a 2025 lens reveals how much progress has been made, rendering him less progressive by today’s standards. He argued that Obama’s moderate achievements, like the Affordable Care Act, were significant given the political constraints of his time. Despite his defense, Penn expressed disillusionment over issues like the failure to close Guantánamo Bay. Obama has previously criticized progressives for alienating voters, emphasizing the need for more positive rhetoric about young men.
