In a world where former presidents typically spend their post-White House years writing memoirs, giving six-figure speeches, and building presidential libraries, Barack Obama has revealed a surprisingly humanizing detail about his daily life: the only game on his phone is Words With Friends. This admission feels like finding out your favorite professor secretly loves reality TV or discovering that a celebrated chef enjoys microwave dinners. It’s that perfect blend of unexpected and relatable that makes you pause and reconsider what we expect from our leaders after they’ve left the world’s most powerful office.
What’s particularly fascinating about Obama’s gaming choice isn’t just the game itself, but his stated reason for playing. He doesn’t use it to sharpen his strategic thinking or maintain cognitive function in his golden years. Instead, he plays specifically to maintain friendships. In an era where we’re constantly warned about the isolating effects of technology, here’s a former world leader using digital tools exactly as they were intended—to foster and sustain human connection. It makes you wonder if we’ve been approaching technology all wrong, focusing on its capacity to entertain rather than its potential to unite.
The choice of Words With Friends over more contemporary or flashy games speaks volumes about Obama’s personality and priorities. This isn’t someone chasing the latest gaming trends or trying to prove he’s still “with it.” Words With Friends represents something timeless—the simple pleasure of wordplay, the mental exercise of vocabulary building, and the gentle competition that comes from matching wits with friends. It’s the digital equivalent of sitting on the porch with a crossword puzzle, except your porch now spans continents and time zones.
Consider the contrast between Obama’s gaming habits and what we typically imagine former presidents doing with their time. We picture them in wood-paneled offices, advising current leaders or crafting their legacies. Instead, we have Obama tapping away at his phone, probably during commercial breaks of basketball games or between chapters of whatever book he’s currently reading. There’s something wonderfully democratic about this image—a reminder that no matter how high you climb, you still have the same basic human needs for connection, mental stimulation, and occasional distraction.
Ultimately, Obama’s Words With Friends revelation offers us a refreshing perspective on leadership, legacy, and what really matters in life. In a political landscape often dominated by performative toughness and manufactured personas, here’s a glimpse of genuine humanity. The man who once made decisions that shaped global politics now finds satisfaction in forming seven-letter words and maintaining friendships. It suggests that perhaps the true measure of a life well-lived isn’t found in grand accomplishments alone, but in the quiet consistency of staying connected to the people who matter. And if a former president can make time for friendly word games amid his undoubtedly busy schedule, maybe we all could benefit from prioritizing our relationships with a little more intentionality.
About the Author
