Obama tells Democrats to push back against Trump’s ‘lawlessness and recklessness’
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Former US President Barack Obama blasted what he called Mr Trump’s “shambolic” tariff policy and deployment of National Guard troops to US cities.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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WASHINGTON - Former US president Barack Obama touted Democratic candidates for governor in two states at campaign rallies on Nov 1, urging voters in next week’s election to reject what he called the “lawlessness and recklessness” of President Donald Trump’s administration.
Mr Obama, the two-term president still highly popular among Democrats, laid out a biting indictment of the Trump administration at rallies for Virginia gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger and New Jersey candidate Mikie Sherrill.
“Let’s face it, our country and our policy are in a pretty dark place right now,” Mr Obama told a roaring crowd of Ms Spanberger’s supporters at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.
“It’s hard to know where to start,” he said, “because every day this White House offers people a fresh batch of lawlessness and recklessness and mean-spiritedness and just plain craziness.”
Mr Obama blasted what he called Mr Trump’s “shambolic” tariff policy
He criticised Republicans in Congress for failing to check Mr Trump “even when they know he’s out of line”.
He said he was surprised at how quickly business leaders, law firms and universities opted to “bend the knee” to appease Mr Trump.
Later on Nov 1 at an event in Newark, New Jersey, to support Mr Sherrill, Mr Obama struck many of the same themes as he continued his criticisms of the Trump White House.
“It’s like every day is Halloween, except it’s all tricks and no treats,” Mr Obama said.
He occasionally dipped into sarcasm in mentioning Mr Trump’s decisions, such as the remodelling of parts of the White House
“In fairness, he has been focused on some critical issues, like paving over the Rose Garden so folks don’t get mud on their shoes, and building a US$300 million (S$390 million) ballroom,” Mr Obama said.
Polls show Ms Spanberger, 46, with a sizeable lead over the Republican candidate, Lieutenant-Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, 61.
Ms Spanberger, a former Central Intelligence Agency officer, was a congresswoman for six years.
Most polls show Mr Sherrill with a single-digit lead over Republican Jack Ciattarelli, 63, a former state assemblyman making his third consecutive run for the governor’s seat.
Republicans in New Jersey have been encouraged in recent years by some statewide races that were closer than expected.
Although New Jersey Democrats have a 2-to-1 edge in registered voters, Mr Ciattarelli lost by only three percentage points in the 2021 gubernatorial race, and Mr Trump lost New Jersey by just six points in the 2024 presidential election. REUTERS
