In a speech at the University of Pittsburgh last night, former president Barack Obama urged Black men to step up for Vice President Kamala Harris. Via Rolling Stone:
“If you had a family member who acted like [Trump], you might still love them, but you’d tell ‘em, ‘You got a problem,’ and you wouldn’t put him in charge of anything,” Obama said. “And yet, when Donald Trump lies or cheats, or shows utter disregard for our Constitution, when he calls POWs ‘losers’ or fellow citizens ‘vermin,’ people make excuses for it.”
Obama used the speech as an opportunity to bluntly tell Black male voters to pick Harris. “My understanding, based on reports I’m getting from campaigns and communities, is that we have not yet seen the same kinds of energy and turnout in all quarters of our neighborhoods and communities as we saw when I was running,” he said, adding the lack of enthusiasm for Harris “seems to be more pronounced with the brothers.”
“You’re thinking about sitting out or supporting somebody who has a history of denigrating you, because you think that’s a sign of strength, because that’s what being a man is? Putting women down?” Obama said. “That’s not acceptable. You’re coming up with all kinds of reasons and excuses, I’ve got a problem with that. Because part of it makes me think – and I’m speaking to men directly – part of it makes me think 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.”
