Former United States President Barack Obama did not spare President Donald Trump while addressing his fellow Democrats at the final day of the Democratic Convention on Thursday.
In his speech, he accused Trump of abusing his presidential power for personal gain, and never having taken his position seriously. In his opinion, Trump has treated his time in office as if it were “one more reality show”, used to “get the attention he craves.”
“I have sat in the Oval Office with both men who are running for president,” Obama said in a virtual speech broadcast from Philadelphia, where the United States Constitution was written in 1787.
“I never expected that my successor would embrace my vision, or continue my policies. I did hope, for the sake of our country, that Donald Trump might show some interest in taking the job seriously.”
“But he never did,” Obama added. “For close to four years now, he has shown no interest in putting in the work.”
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As an example of this “failure,” Obama referred to the 170,000 Americans that passed away from Covid-19 and the loss of millions of jobs. He also mentioned the “damage” Trump had done to the “proud reputation” of the U.S. around the world.
On his Twitter account, Obama expressed himself in a notably milder tone, saying “I’m asking you to believe in [Biden] and Kamala’s ability to help make us a better country.”
.@JoeBiden made me a better president. I’m asking you to believe in his and Kamala’s ability to help make us a better country. More importantly, I’m asking you to believe in your own and to help them, in this election and beyond. https://t.co/YYEAFxx4nW
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 20, 2020
On Tuesday, Obama's wife and former First Lady Michelle Obama also slammed Trump in her Democratic Convention speech. “Let me be as clear and honest as possible,” she said. “He is the wrong president for this country.”
One of Obama’s former law professors at Harvard, Laurence Tribe, called his speech “the best of his career,” adding that it was “the best I have heard since 1961, when JFK delivered his inaugural address.”
Kamala Harris accepted her Vice President nomination during the final day of the Democratic Convention. In her speech, she referred mostly to the women of colour that fought “not just for their vote, but for a seat at the table.”
If Biden is to be elected president, she will be both the first woman and the first person of colour to become Vice President.
Amée Zoutberg
The Brussels Times
