Obama asserts that White nationalists openly associate themselves with Trump.
According to two sources who revealed Obama's remarks to CNN, the comments were made during a gathering at Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker's residence. Obama was responding to a question from the small audience. The fundraiser helped raise $4 million for Kamala Harris' campaign.
Talking about Harris, Obama brought up Trump's past actions, like hosting Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes at Mar-a-Lago in 2022 and his reaction to the 2017 White nationalist march in Charlottesville, Virginia. Obama stated, "She's running against a guy who had dinner with a Holocaust denier. When there was a march with lanterns, the only thing missing was the pitchforks, saying, ‘We shall not be replaced.’ He said, ‘There are good people on both sides.’"
These comments come at a time when Trump has intensified his anti-immigrant rhetoric and has accused the nation of having an "enemy within." This was further reinforced by John Kelly, Trump's former White House chief of staff, who claimed Trump made multiple approving remarks about Adolf Hitler. Trump's campaign has, however, denounced these allegations.
While Trump is appealing to society's darker emotions, Obama believes Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, are fostering the better aspects of the American character.
Obama argues that Trump is tapping into people's underlying prejudices and exacerbating them. What starts as mockery towards immigrants, the disabled, or other groups, Obama explains, eventually leads to people feeling it's acceptable to belittle such groups.
According to Obama, Trump's comments not only impact those targeted by his 'punching down' but also affect the overall dynamics of American interactions and the way children perceive these situations.
"When those guardrails start breaking down, then that changes the tone of not just our public discourse, but our private discourse," Obama said. "Our kids soak it in, in ways that are destructive."
As revealed earlier by CNN, Obama is currently in the thick of his most active election campaigning since his own presidency, making appearances in Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin, and Michigan. He has another event scheduled on Thursday evening, his first joint rally with Harris, with Bruce Springsteen performing. Obama has been actively advocating for Senate candidates and participating in interviews with online influencers and podcasters. More collaborations are expected soon.
At these rallies, Obama's speeches have been a blend of poking fun at Trump's incompetencies, such as his supposed inability to operate a truck, and refuting his claims about his own administration, focusing heavily on the argument that the robust economy he often highlights was actually established "during my tenure."
For Obama, this political involvement is both personal and political. He's encouraging voters, particularly Black men, not to abandon their faith in government due to perceived failures, or to be drawn to Trump's appeal.
Obama's political involvement in the upcoming election is a critical response to Trump's rhetoric, as he believes the former president is exploiting prejudices and divisiveness in American politics. This toxic environment, according to Obama, not only harms the targeted groups but also impacts the overall tone of interactions and shapes children's perceptions in a destructive manner.
