Former President Barack Obama took the stage in Pennsylvania and made a passionate appeal to the crowd to support Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris. Obama had a fiery message to Black men, in particular urging them to support the VP.
Message to Black male voters
“We have not yet seen the same kinds of energy and turnout in all quarters of our neighborhoods and communities as we saw when I was running. Now, I also want to say that that seems to be more pronounced with the brothers,” Obama said.
“You’re coming up with all kinds of reasons and excuses. I’ve got a problem with that.
“Part of it makes me think that, well, you just aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president, and you’re coming up with other alternatives and reasons for that.”
He continued, “When we get in trouble and the system isn’t working for us, they’re the ones out there marching and protesting.”
The passionate speech arrives after a September NAACP poll showed that over one quarter of Black men under 50 say they will vote for Trump.
In the results, 26% of Black men under 50 years old said they supported Trump, versus 49% who backed Harris. For Black men above 50, 77% said they supported Harris.
“Real strength is about helping people need it”
At the rally, the former president also sought to push back against an argument that has been at the core of Trump’s campaign: That he represents a departure from the stale status quo.
“This election is going to be tight because there are a lot of Americans who are still struggling out there.”
“I get why people are looking to shake things up. I mean, I am the ‘hopey-changey’ guy. I understand people feeling frustrated and feeling we can do better,” Obama said. “What I cannot understand is why anybody would think that Donald Trump will shake things up in a way that is good for you.”
Harkening back to the message he shared with Black voters earlier in the day, Obama later added: “I’m sorry, gentlemen, I’ve noticed this, especially with some men who seem to think Trump’s behavior of bullying and putting people down is a sign of strength. And I am here to tell you: that is not what real strength is. It never has been.
“Real strength is about helping people need it and standing up for those who can’t always stand up for themselves, that is what we should want for our daughters and for our sons, and that is what I want to see a president of the United States of America.”
Earlier in his speech he delivered a furious indictment of Trump and the Republican Party. He mentioned how Trump used the recent hurricane to violate the trust of Americans and using the opportunity to spread lies about the Biden administration.
“The idea of intentionally trying to deceive people in their most desperate and vulnerable moments – my question is, when did that become OK?” Obama said, pointing to Trump’s lies about the federal government withholding assistance to hard-hit “Republican areas” or “siphoning off aid to give to undocumented immigrants.”