Options galore for Obama in his retirement life

He was the first African-American to become president of the United States and, after he was sworn in, he appointed his presumed rivals to his Cabinet.

Shortly after he was nominated to vie for the presidency in 2008, Barack Obama told Time magazine: “I don’t want to have people who just agree with me. I want people who are continually pushing me out of my comfort zone.”

Borrowing from his favourite book, Team of Rivals, Obama retained Bush-era Defence Secretary Robert Gates and appointed his rival for the Democratic ticket, former first lady Hillary Clinton, as secretary of state. He had made Joe Biden his running mate.

His eight years as president began amid the financial crunch, the war on terror and a crisis of immigration. Were President Obama a Kenyan, he would actually be launching his career now — Kenyan politicians like calling themselves young way into their 50s.

But what happens to a man who retires when his popularity is still high, he is fairly young (55) and has a family that is now used to Washington?

He could teach, write books, care for the home, start charity campaigns or return to politics as a senator or governor... or even practise law.

MONTHLY PAY

In the US, the tradition since 1958 has always been that former presidents are treated as cabinet secretaries, earning a monthly pay with an office as long as they do not hold any other public office.

The Former Presidents Act allows such leaders to earn this pay for life and they are also entitled to medical insurance, security protection and briefings on national security matters.

“Each former President shall be entitled for the remainder of his life to receive from the United States a monetary allowance at a rate per annum, payable monthly by the Secretary of the Treasury, which is equal to the annual rate of basic pay, as in effect from time to time, of the head of an executive department, as defined in Section 101 of Title 5, United States Code [section 101 of Title 5],” the Act states.

“The Administrator of General Services shall furnish for each former President suitable office space appropriately furnished and equipped, as determined by the Administrator, at such place within the United States as the former President shall specify.”

The law was passed by Congress following an embarrassing situation involving the US president who authorised the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Harry Truman, who became broke.

REFUSED TO ASSENT

During President Obama’s tenure, the same Congress attempted to amend the law to remove the benefits, but he refused to assent to it.

This means President Obama could earn about $200,000 a year as a former president as long as he is not appointed or elected for another position. But what if it is not just money that he wants?

Retirement can sometimes be horrifying, and African politicians often try to change laws to help them stay longer in office.

For President Obama, however, there is no chance of that happening since the US Constitution allows him a maximum of two terms, and his second ends on January 19, 2017.

In a 2014 interview with the New Yorker, President Obama hinted at going back to teaching.

He told the news magazine: “I love teaching, I miss classroom and engaging with students.”

'COUCH COMMANDER'

He taught law at the University of Chicago before he ventured into politics.

In April this year, he joked to White House correspondents in a spoof video that he may stick around Washington to be the “couch commander” — which may basically mean staying at home watching cartoons while lying on the couch!

He also joked that he could look for a job around the city or check for openings on LinkedIn.

On his visit to Kenya last year, he had indicated that he would love to come back as an ordinary citizen and be able to visit Kogelo without the heavy security attachment he travelled with here as President.

President Obama will get a chance to be patron of the Barack Obama Presidential Centre, a proposed public library in his name as is the tradition after retirement.

Ms Clinton, who lost to billionaire Donald Trump in last week’s elections, had promised to seek his advice if elected. Last week, President-elect Trump said he would occasionally seek “counsel” from him once he assumes office.