President Obama continues to follow predecessor Bill Clinton's footsteps. He spoke at the annual Carlyle Group Investor Meeting, the one reserved for limited partners (not lowly unitholders). Obama's fee was nearly double Bill Clinton's. The Carlyle talk was one of three that will make Obama over $1 million.
Obama ran as a populist then served the people he promised to hold accountable. He ran as a peace maker then made war after optional war. He said Hillary would continue his legacy and that's what scared many.
Ex-President Obama’s obscene speaking fees are from Wall Street and private equity underwriter LP events. This is what made the Blue Team like the Reds and turned many voters away from Hillary Clinton, who also spoke at Carlyle Group events.
Obama explained away his absurd payments by saying he will give $2 million to children's charities. The logic is "it's OK to make the king's riches as long as the king is benevolent." Carlyle Group co-founder David Rubenstein doles out his billions to historical charitable causes. Is Obama trying to imitate the most visible of his three Carlyle DBD hosts?
Obama would be wise to consider the perspective of Mrs. Rubenstein, with whom he dined during an Alaska visit as President. An Alaska insider reported:
Rubenstein is worth an estimated $2.5 billion. He spent $21.3 million to buy the Magna Carta in 2007. “He told reporters he was just a ‘temporary custodian’ of the historic piece of parchment.
In 2016, Rubenstein gave the National Park Service $18.5 million to help restore the Lincoln Memorial. In private, Alice Rogoff Rubenstein has described those acts as publicity grabs and claimed all her financier husband really cares about is making money.
Crony capitalist birds of a feather flock together, especially at the Carlyle Group Annual Gathering of Limited Partners. After 9-11 one of the first nonmilitary plane to hit U.S. airspace held attendees from Carlyle's investor meeting. In 2014 Carlyle found it important to track LPs and their movements.
How might Brand Obama help a cash engorged Carlyle Group profit? Obama made history, the PEU kind.
Update 7-11-21: Politicians Red and Blue love PEU, as does Tucker Carlson and many members of the media.