In what was likely his final appearance in Cleveland as president, Barack Obama condemned elected Republicans who support presidential nominee Donald Trump while urging attendees to vote for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.
Taking the same stage at the Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport as he did during the final stretch of his 2012 campaign, Obama equated Trump’s potential presidency to a tyranny during his speech on Friday.
“The United States of America has always stood for something better,” Obama said. “It’s part of why I’m disturbed about Republican elected officials who know better but are still supporting this guy.”
Obama spoke to a diverse crowd of 2,500 people, most of whom support Clinton.
One dissenter in the crowd interrupted the speech by screaming, “Bill Clinton’s a rapist.” Obama responded with a “Hillary” chant, prompting others to join and drown out the dissenter.
“I noticed this has been happening everywhere, and I keep on telling folks, ‘You’ve gotta organize your own rallies,’ ” Obama said. “Go knock on some doors for your guy. That’s a better way for you to spend your time, unless you’re just being paid to be here, in which case, hey, everybody’s gotta make a living.”
The bulk of Obama’s 40-minute speech centered on Clinton’s qualifications for the presidency above Trump’s, with Obama calling Trump unfit for the job multiple times.
At one point, he placed part of the blame on Republican officials for the business mogul’s rise in political power, saying they stood by while “crazy talk” and conspiracy theories rang through media outlets.
“Over time, because a lot of the hardcore Republican partisan voters were just hearing this stuff over and over again, they started believing it,” Obama said. “And that’s what allowed Donald Trump to suddenly emerge.”
Obama’s comments come at a time when prominent Republicans are withdrawing their support from Trump after the Washington Post revealed a tape from 2005 of the Republican candidate making sexual comments about women.
“I know some are now walking away, but why’d it take you this long?” Obama asked. “You said you’re the party of family values, but you weren’t appalled earlier when he was saying degrading things about women?”
Thursday night, first lady Michelle Obama delivered a similar speech in Manchester, N.H., disparaging Trump specifically for his attacks on women.
“She was talking on behalf of men who know we’re better than this — who don’t want to teach our sons the kinds of things we’ve been hearing on television and believe one of the measures of any society is, how does it treat its women?” President Obama said in his speech Friday.
To combat the “dark and pessimistic vision of a country” Obama said is presented by Trump, the president urged people to go out and vote early. Early in-person voting started Wednesday and continues until Election Day Nov. 8.
“I just can’t believe how on point he was,” said Joel Simmons, who drove up from Columbus to see the president speak. “The speech he made was tremendous. It really hit home.”
People of varying ages and races attended the rally, some even from different countries.
“It was so exciting. It was such a crazy moment,” said Sarah Rossmann from Germany, who is in the U.S. visiting relatives. “Even in Germany he’s so famous.”
“I used to not like Hillary and hated Trump, but I think his speech was very moving,” said 9-year-old Stella Rosen from Lakewood, who said Obama changed her mind about Clinton.
Theresa Cottom can be reached at 330-996-3216 or tcottom@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @Theresa_Cottom .