Headline Roundup • May 17th, 2020
Obama Suggests US Lacks Leadership on Coronavirus in Commencement Address
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Featured Coverage of this Story

NPR (Online News)
Former President Barack Obama delivered a virtual commencement address on Saturday, urging the tens of thousands of graduates from historically black colleges and universities to "seize the initiative" amid what he described as a lack of leadership from leaders in the United States to the coronavirus pandemic.
"More than anything, this pandemic has fully, finally torn back the curtain on the idea that so many of the folks in charge know what they're doing," Obama said in remarks that were streamed online. "A lot of them aren't even pretending to...
Barack Obama attacked the Trump administration’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic during a speech on Saturday.
The comments are a rare rebuke of a sitting president from one of his predecessors, and come in the midst of a pandemic that has had devastating and disproportionate effects on communities of color in the United States.
Former President Barack Obama said in a commencement speech on Saturday that current leaders during the coronavirus crisis were failing 2020 graduates.
“More than anything this pandemic has fully finally torn back the curtain on the idea that so many of the folks in charge know what they’re doing,” he said. “A lot of them aren’t even pretending to be in charge.”
AllSides Picks
Headline Roundup
Media Outlets Offer Different Takes on Jason Arday's Death
August 18th, 2026
Headline Roundup
What Do Trump's Vaccine Changes Mean for Back-to-School Season?
August 17th, 2026
Blog
The Jason Arday Saga
AllSides Staff
August 20th, 2026
Blog
Tracking Trump’s Campaign Promises
AllSides Staff
August 13th, 2026
More News about Education on AllSides
News from the Left
News from the Center
News from the Right
Euronews