In a world where our phones have become extensions of our hands and our attention spans have been whittled down to the length of a TikTok video, there’s something remarkably telling about learning that a former president of the United States spends his downtime playing Words With Friends. Barack Obama’s recent revelation on Marc Maron’s podcast that this is the only game on his phone speaks volumes about the kind of digital engagement that actually matters to someone who has spent years in the global spotlight. While the rest of us chase the dopamine hits of endless scrolling and viral content, Obama has chosen a game that requires patience, strategy, and most importantly, connection with another human being.
What struck me most about this revelation wasn’t the game itself, but the reason behind it. Obama specifically mentioned playing to maintain his friendship with former White House photographer Pete Souza. In an era where friendships often exist as curated Instagram feeds and occasional text exchanges, here’s a man using technology not to broadcast his life to thousands, but to sustain a meaningful one-on-one relationship. There’s something beautifully intentional about this choice—a deliberate act of friendship maintenance in a world that often treats relationships as disposable. It makes me wonder if we’ve lost something essential in our pursuit of digital connection, trading depth for breadth in our social circles.
The choice of Words With Friends over more contemporary games like Wordle or Connections is particularly revealing. While the New York Times games have become cultural phenomena, they’re largely solitary experiences—you play against the puzzle, not with people. Words With Friends, by contrast, is fundamentally social. It requires waiting for your opponent’s move, considering their strategy, and engaging in a shared experience that unfolds over days or weeks. In a presidency that was often criticized for its reliance on technology and social media, Obama’s post-presidential digital habits suggest a more thoughtful approach to how we use these tools in our lives.
There’s also something to be said about the timing of this revelation. As political tensions continue to dominate our news cycles and social media feeds, learning about a former president’s simple gaming habit feels almost revolutionary in its normalcy. It’s a reminder that behind the political figures and historical legacies are human beings who, like the rest of us, seek moments of quiet connection and mental stimulation. The comments on the original news posts ranged from cynical dismissals to genuine curiosity, reflecting our complicated relationship with public figures—we want them to be exceptional, but we also want to see their humanity.
Perhaps the most compelling aspect of Obama’s gaming choice is what it says about the evolution of friendship in the digital age. In choosing to maintain a connection through a word game, he’s participating in a modern form of correspondence—one that combines the intellectual challenge of chess with the personal touch of a letter. It’s a far cry from the superficial interactions that often pass for friendship online, and it raises important questions about how we’re using technology to nurture the relationships that truly matter. In a world where our digital habits are increasingly scrutinized for their impact on mental health and social connection, Obama’s approach offers a compelling alternative model—one where technology serves to deepen rather than dilute our human connections.
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