Former President Barack Obama delivered a full-throated takedown of Donald Trump while rallying in support of Vice President Kamala Harris in Detroit, Michigan, on Tuesday night. Obama was introduced at the event by iconic Detroit native rapper Eminem. Michigan’s 15 electoral votes are critical to the election’s outcome and Obama’s visit on Harris’ behalf comes just days after Trump insulted the city, where a majority of the residents are Black. YouTube Video Obama remarked that he often speaks to people about Trump, and they have remarked that the Republican presidential nominee is “kind of goofy” but that they remember better economic conditions during his presidency. “And I say, yeah it was good because it was my economy,” Obama said. “I spent eight years cleaning up the mess that the Republicans left me.” Obama said Republicans “didn’t want to lift a finger” to help cities like Detroit recover, while his administration worked to rescue the U.S. auto industry, which employs thousands in Michigan. Obama added, “All [Trump] did was give a tax cut to people who didn’t need one, drove up the deficit in the process, now he wants to do it again. Do not fall for that okey doke, don’t be bamboozled.” When Obama took office in January 2009, the U.S. and the world were in the middle of the Great Recession, which began under former President George W. Bush. Democrats pursued economic stimulus via the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, but the legislation faced unified Republican opposition in the House and only three Senate Republicans backed the bill. By the time Obama left office in 2017, 11.6 million jobs had been added to the economy on his watch. Despite inheriting an economic recovery from Obama, the economy lost 2.7 million jobs under Trump—the only president in recent history with a net job loss. Under the Biden-Harris administration, the economy has added over 15 million jobs. YouTube Video Obama also criticized Trump for lying about election results and spreading election conspiracy theories, pointing out that his rhetoric has incited threats and violence against election workers. Obama noted that Trump has similarly promoted false conspiracy theories about the federal response to hurricanes in the south, leading to threats of violence against FEMA first responders. “If you had a family member who acted like that, you might still love them, but you wouldn’t put them in charge of anything,” Obama said. The former president also had some fun at the event and remarked that he was “feeling some kind of way following Eminem,” and launched into an Obamafied version of the hit song “Lose Yourself.” YouTube Video Watch Obama’s speech in full here: YouTube Video Volunteer to reach young voters and prepare them to get out to the polls to vote for Democrats! You can text, call, or post on social media. It's the final push and we need your help!
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