As speculation grows over a possible Democratic primary field in 2024, a constantly shifting landscape has some looking to party elders, not least two-term former President Barack Obama.

So far, there’s no white smoke. The former president rallied voters ahead of the Virginia governor’s election and was a looming presence in the race for the Democratic nomination in 2020. Some hopefuls, including now-President Joe Biden, hugged the former leader, while others on the debate stage sought to distance themselves from the last Democratic administration’s policies, including over healthcare, as well as immigration and a record of deportations.