Former US President Barack Obama rallied support for Democratic gubernatorial candidates in two states on Saturday, urging voters to reject what he described as the “lawlessness and recklessness” of President Donald Trump’s administration in next week’s elections.
Speaking at campaign events for Virginia candidate Abigail Spanberger and New Jersey candidate Mikie Sherrill, Obama still widely popular among Democrats delivered a sharp critique of the Trump White House.
“Our country and our politics are in a pretty dark place right now,” Obama told an enthusiastic crowd at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. “It’s hard to know where to begin, because every day this White House rolls out a new batch of lawlessness, recklessness, mean-spiritedness and just plain craziness.”
Obama criticised Trump’s tariff policies
Obama condemned Trump’s “shambolic” tariff policies and the deployment of National Guard troops to U.S. cities, and he faulted congressional Republicans for failing to hold the president accountable “even when they know he’s out of line.”
He added that he was stunned by how quickly business leaders, law firms, and universities chose to “bend the knee” in attempts to stay in Trump’s good graces.
Later Saturday at an event in Newark, New Jersey to support Sherrill, 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,” Obama.
Obama slams Trump
The former president occasionally dipped into sarcasm in mentioning Trump decisions such as remodeling parts of the White House even as a federal shutdown continues.
“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 $300 million ballroom,” Obama said.
Polls show Spanberger, 46, with a sizable lead over the Republican candidate, Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, 61. Spanberger, a former CIA officer, was a congresswoman for six years.
Most polls show Sherrill with a single-digit lead over Republican Jack Ciatterelli, 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, Ciatterelli lost by only three percentage points in the 2021 gubernatorial race, and Donald Trump lost New Jersey by just six points in last year’s presidential election.
(With Reuters Inputs)
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Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
