Barack Obama Seemingly Calls Donald Trump A ‘Demagogue’ And A ‘Bully’ At Rally For Democrats In Ohio
Barack Obama indirectly referred to Donald Trump as a “demagogue” and a “bully” at an Ohio rally for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Richard Cordray, The Metro is reporting.
Speaking to an energized crowd in Cleveland, Obama didn’t mention Trump by name. However, he echoed sentiments that have been aimed at Trump before — namely, that he’s a demagogue (that is, a politician who appeals to voters’ prejudices rather than offering a real agenda) and a bully.
“When there’s a vacuum in our democracy, when we don’t vote, when we take our basic rights for granted — other voices fill the void and demagogues who promise simple fixes to complicated problems… [Americans are] supposed to stand-up to bullies, not follow them.”
Obama also repeated a phrase that has oft been used to describe Trump’s America — “not normal” — specifically within the context of Republican efforts to make it harder for minorities and the poor to vote.
“This is not normal what we’re seeing. It is radical.”
That assertion about Republicans attempting to make it harder for minorities and the poor to vote rings particularly true in Ohio. As Vox reported in June, Buckeye State Republicans purged thousands of defunct voters from its eligible voter rolls, citing inactivity. The U.S. Supreme Court, by a 5-4 ruling, upheld the purge.
.@BarackObama continues to claim recent economic success: “We spent eight years pushing that boulder up the hill … They’re standing there, didn’t even break a sweat.”
This is sad dude, just give it up already.https://t.co/ptqmZtu9bI
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) September 14, 2018
Also at Thursday night’s Ohio rally, as The Daily Caller reports, Obama claimed credit for the current booming economy — something Trump has reportedly touted as one of his own successes.
“We spent eight years pushing that boulder up the hill… They’re standing there, didn’t even break a sweat.”
Similarly, Obama claimed that Republicans are still “mad” despite winning both the Oval Office and both houses of Congress.
“The Republicans won the House, they won the Senate. They’re still mad, which is interesting.”
Trump has also injected himself into the Ohio gubernatorial race. Trump, of course, backs GOP candidate Mike DeWine, who is competing against Cordray for the seat being vacated by John Kasich.
At an August dinner for the state’s Republican Party, Trump didn’t mince words when it came to Cordray, as The Hill reported at the time.
“So Mike [DeWine]’s running against a far-left candidate, and you know he was groomed by Pocahontas. The legendary Pocahontas… He was groomed by Elizabeth Warren. His name is Cordray, and he’s trouble.”
DeWine, for his part, hasn’t invoked Trump “much” in his campaign, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer, preferring instead to run on his own record.
