During a pre-campaign-rally stop in Pittsburgh on Thursday, former President Barack Obama appeared to admonish Black Americans who have not been as fervent in their support for Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential bid as they were for his in 2008 and 2012.
Obama stopped at a campaign office in the Steel City before taking the stage with Sen. Robert P. Casey Jr., D-Pa., later in the afternoon.
The prominent Democrat said he has noticed a difference in the excitement surrounding the current Democratic nominee, particularly among African-Americans.
"We have not yet seen the same kinds of energy and turnout in all corners of our neighborhoods and communities as we saw when I was running," Obama began.
"Now, I also want to say that that seems to be more pronounced with the brothers. So if you don't mind -- just for a second, I've got to speak to y’all and say that when you have a choice that is this clean: When on the one hand, you have somebody who grew up like you, went to college with you understands the struggles [and the] pain and joy that comes from those experiences…"
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According to several reports, Obama then went on to contrast that vision – presumably of Harris – to that of former President Trump.
Appearing to continue to address Black Americans, Obama said the real estate mogul-turned-politician is someone who "has consistently shown disregard, not just for the communities, but for you as a person – And you are thinking about sitting out?"
The 44th president went on to say many people apprehensive of Harris are coming up with "all kinds of reasons and excuses" to either sit home or support another candidate.
"[P]art of it makes me think, and I’m speaking to men directly… that, well, you just aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president, and you’re coming up with other alternatives and other reasons for that."
Reacting to the comments on Fox News Channel, "Jesse Watters Primetime" host Jesse Watters said Obama’s remarks are evidence Obama believes Harris "has officially plateaued" in popularity.
"He was just caught saying this moments ago in Pittsburgh," Watters said, before playing a clip of Obama.
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In addition, former DeKalb County, Georgia Executive Vernon Jones – a longtime Democrat who joined the GOP in 2021 – reacted on X by saying Obama was being dispatched by "White liberals" to "Blackman-splain" why fellow African-Americans should vote for Harris.
"No thanks, BO – Blacks had enough of you and Kamala Harris," Jones said in part.
Conservative commentator Benny Arthur Johnson called the comments "sickening."
"Obama descend[ed] into end-stage race hatred politics," he said.
For his part, President Biden also made waves when he similarly admonished Black Americans who were waffling ahead of the 2020 election.
During a May 2020 interview from his Greenville, Del. home studio with the New York City radio program "The Breakfast Club," Biden remarked that his wife Jill soon needed to use the same studio.
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"You’ve got more questions?" he responded to host Charlamagne Tha God on the matter. "Well I tell you what – If you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t Black."
After the exchange went viral, Biden said he "shouldn’t have been such a wise guy" at the time.
In response to Obama’s Pittsburgh visit writ large, Pennsylvania Team Trump spokesman Kush Desai said things can’t be going well for Democrats if they have to "fly in Barack Obama from his $12 million Martha’s Vineyard estate…"
"While it’ll probably be a slightly less unhinged affair than what other Kamala surrogates are doing to move the needle, an Obama visit isn’t going to convince Pennsylvanians to vote for another four years of open borders, rising prices, and disaster at home and abroad."
In a statement following publication of Obama's remarks, Desai said Obama should "stick with proselytizing America through his ... Netflix grift instead of condescending Pennsylvanians to their faces."
