During a virtual fundraiser for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s campaign, former President Barack Obama took aim at the “media structure” that supports Donald Trump . As reported by The Washington Examiner , Obama took particular aim at the right-wing Fox News network and conservative radio show host Rush Limbaugh .
“What we have seen over the last couple of years is a White House enabled by Republicans in Congress and a media structure that supports them and has not just differed in terms of policy, but has gone to the very foundations of who we are and who we should be,” Obama said.
According to Obama, Trump “exploits divisions” between Americans that he claims conservative media amplifies. The former president called on the audience to make an effort to connect with family and friends that are influenced by conservative media, a task he claims he would not be able to accomplish.
“If you’ve got an uncle, or a grandmother, who is watching Fox News and listening to Rush Limbaugh — if I say something to her or him, they’re not gonna be paying much attention. In fact, I can’t reach them. But you can.”
As reported by Business Insider , Obama also used the virtual fundraiser to attack Trump’s approach to governance. Per NBC News , Obama began by touching on the challenges he faced in office and claimed that he faced them more effectively due to his predecessor, George W. Bush , who he suggested led the country with respect for the rules of law and the country’s institutions.
Conversely, Obama slammed Trump’s “shambolic” approach to governance and accused him of downplaying the threat of coronavirus and undermining the importance and value of science and facts. Obama also expressed pity for Dr. Anthony Fauci, the leading coronavirus expert in the U.S. who has frequently clashed with the president during the pandemic.
Despite his criticism of Trump, Obama warned voters against underestimating the president, who currently lags behind Biden in the polls. As The Inquisitr reported, a New York Times /Siena College poll released Wednesday put Biden in a double-digit lead over Trump.
Specifically, Biden has the support of 50 percent of registered voters surveyed, while Trump has the support of 36 percent.
According to Biden, the joint fundraiser with Obama raked in $7.6 million from 175,000 donors, making it the highest-grossing event in Biden’s 2020 campaign. Before the event, the record was held by Hillary Clinton after she earned the former vice president $2 million in a joint fundraising committee with the Democratic National Committee.
