PITTSBURGH – Former President Barack Obama recommended Thursday that black males are against Vice President Kamala Harris just because she is a lady whereas dissing the Democratic nominee for not producing “the identical sorts of power” as his marketing campaign.
“Now we have but to see the identical sorts of power and turnout in all corners of our neighborhoods and communities as we noticed once I was operating,” Obama, 63, stated at a “Black Voters for Harris” occasion in Pittsburgh, forward of a rally for Harris.
“I additionally wish to say that that appears to be extra pronounced with the brothers,” he added, referring to black males.
“[Y]ou’re developing with every kind of causes and excuses,” the previous president stated of the shortage of enthusiasm for Harris’ candidacy from some black males. “I’ve bought an issue with that.
“A part of it makes me suppose that, properly, you simply aren’t feeling the concept of getting a lady as president, and also you’re developing with different options and different causes for that,” Obama claimed.
Obama argued that it’s “not acceptable” for black males to help Trump.
Polling signifies the next proportion of black People are planning to vote for former President Donald Trump, 78, in 2024 than did in 2020 – with 1 in 4 black males beneath 50 backing the forty fifth president, in accordance with an NAACP survey from final month.
“And now, you’re fascinated about sitting out or supporting any person who has a historical past of denigrating you, since you suppose that’s an indication of energy, as a result of that’s what being a person is? Placing ladies down? That’s not acceptable,” he stated.
On the rally — the primary of a sequence of swing-state occasions that may function the primary and solely black president in American historical past stumping for Harris, 59, within the run-up to Election Day — Obama grew to become most animated as he railed in opposition to males who imagine Trump is the stronger candidate.
“I’m sorry, gents, I seen this, particularly with some males who appear to suppose Trump’s conduct pulling and placing folks down is an indication of energy,” he stated. “And I’m right here to inform you that isn’t what actual energy is.”
“[T[he good news is that you have candidates to vote for in this election that demonstrate that kind of care, who know what real strength looks like, who will set a good example and do the right thing and leave this country better than they found it,” Obama argued.
Earlier in his remarks, Obama acknowledged that rising prices under the Harris-Biden administration — which he attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic — have “ put a strain on family budgets.”
“I get why people are looking to shake things up,” he said. “I mean, I am the hopey-changey guy.
“So, I understand people feeling frustrated and feeling we can do better,” Obama continued. “What I cannot understand is why anybody would think that Donald Trump will shake things up in a way that is good for you, Pennsylvania.”
He later compared Trump to the brutal, late Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.
“You’ve got the tweets in all caps, the ranting and raving about crazy conspiracy theory, the two-hour speeches — word salad — it’s like Fidel Castro, just on and on,” Obama told the crowd.
Reggie Jones, a black man from South Carolina who was selling Harris merchandise at the rally, told The Post he felt there was different reason the vice president was having trouble with black men.
“[It’s] as a result of she locked a complete lot of us up as a prosecutor,” Jones stated.
“I’m simply promoting her stuff for the cash,” he candidly admitted.
Salmata Alghali, a vendor from Detroit and Harris supporter, stated Trump’s backing from males stems from the thought that “he’ll be totally different.”
“Some males are simply uninterested in the identical politics,” she stated. “[Harris] represents the identical previous factor.
“Trump is saying issues that may sound ridiculous, [but] they’re excited,” she added.
Alghali famous that she hears a few of her black male associates accuse Harris of supporting transgender surgical procedure for minors, or that she’s incarcerated quite a lot of black males.
“As an alternative of doing their very own analysis, they simply imagine it,” she stated.
“They suppose this assassination factor has him all gangster now,” Alghali stated of black male Trump supporters. “It’s all bulls–t.”