Obama Asks Michigan Voters to Support Harris Amid Trump’s Chaos
Throughout his speech, Obama defended Harris, highlighting her hard work.
Former President Obama talked to a crowd in Detroit. He remembered the chaos during Trump’s election and asked everyone to support Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming election.
On Tuesday evening, former President Barack Obama spoke to a crowd in Detroit, Michigan. He talked about the chaos that happened during the 2020 election because of former President Donald Trump. Obama was there to encourage voters to support Vice President Kamala Harris in the next election.
During his speech, Obama expressed worry about how some people seem to forget the values they learned when they were younger. “One of the most disturbing things about this election is how many of us, even good people, are willing to set aside our values,” he said.
He spoke at Huntington Place, the same convention center where votes were counted in 2020. This place was important because it was where Trump and his supporters tried to challenge the election results.
Obama reminded the audience of the protests that took place while the votes were being counted. He described how people banged on the windows and shouted, “Let us in! Stop the count!” He noted that poll workers were scared during this crazy time.
He also mentioned a recent court filing from special counsel Jack Smith. This filing showed that a Trump campaign worker told someone to “make them riot” during the tensions at the Detroit Counting Center. When Obama talked about this, some people in the crowd began to boo. He quickly told them, “Do not boo.” He repeated his well-known line: “Don’t boo, vote.”
This rally was the fifth Obama has held for Harris in important battleground states. He and Harris will appear together for the first time in Georgia on Thursday.
Just days before, Trump held a rally in the same convention center. Obama joked about it, saying, “I heard there was another rally here on Friday night, but it was a little smaller than this one.” The crowd in Detroit showed much more support for Obama and Harris than for Trump.
Rapper Eminem, who is from Detroit, introduced Obama at the rally. Eminem is known for his strong criticism of Trump, which he expressed in a famous speech at the 2017 BET Hip Hop Awards. Although Eminem did not perform, Obama playfully rapped the opening lines of Eminem’s famous song “Lose Yourself.”
During his speech, Obama reminded the crowd about the economic recovery he led after the 2008 financial crisis. He talked about the auto industry bailout that he announced shortly after taking office. “I spent eight years cleaning up the mess that the Republicans left me,” he said. He emphasized that when he left office, there were 75 straight months of job growth.
Obama addressed the crowd by saying, “I understand why people want change. But I don’t understand why anyone thinks Trump will bring good change.” He criticized Trump for being selfish and not caring about people.
Throughout his speech, Obama defended Harris, highlighting her hard work. “She worked at McDonald’s when she was in college to pay her expenses. She didn’t pretend to work at McDonald’s when it was closed,” he said, showing her dedication.
Obama also took aim at Trump’s running mate, Senator JD Vance. Vance had claimed that Trump “salvaged” the Affordable Care Act. Obama replied, “Donald Trump spent his whole time as president trying to tear that down, and he couldn’t even do that.” He teased Trump for saying he had “ideas for a plan” for healthcare.
Lastly, Obama made a heartfelt appeal to the men in the audience. He told them that Trump is not a symbol of strength. “Real strength is about working hard, showing up every day, and helping those in need,” he concluded.