Making an impassioned speech today at the University of Illinois, coinciding with his being offered the Paul H. Davis Award for Ethics in Government, former…
Making an impassioned speech today at the University of Illinois, coinciding with his being offered the Paul H. Davis Award for Ethics in Government, former President Barack Obama made several strong assertions against the American administration headed up by President Donald Trump. Saying that Trump’s government has been “cozying up to the former head of the KGB” and that people will call out “bigots and fear mongers” in a healthy democracy, Obama showed little love for the current administration and for the commander in chief, according to Fox News.
Former President Barack Obama also targeted the Republic Party in toto, dismissing conservative legislators and their stances, according to CNN .
“The politics of resentment and paranoia has unfortunately found a home in the Republican party.”
Obama drew loud cheers and applause from the audience — primarily comprised of university students in attendance for the ceremony — when he unambiguously declared that, “We need to stand up to bullies.”
In response to the stump speech by the former president, White House advisor Mercedes Schlapp told Fox News that the “real energy” resided at Trump rallies — taking a jab at the poor attendance at Clinton’s campaign rallies — and expounded upon the fact that the Trump administration had, so far, been successful in undoing much of Obama’s legislative and executive initiatives.
According to CNN, Obama has a full schedule of campaign activities planned over the course of the next few weeks, including a rally for a number of Democratic congressional candidates in California tomorrow as well as an event in support of Richard Cordray, the gubernatorial candidate in Ohio for the blue banner.
For their part, prominent Republicans claim that they welcome Obama’s return to the political arena with open arms, saying that it will energize their base and light a fire under Trump and his supporters. Rep. Steve Stivers, head of the National Republican Congressional Committee, made his position and that of his colleagues crystal clear during a media scrum earlier today.
“For three cycles (2010,2012,2014) President Obama fired up Republicans like nobody. And I’m happy he wants to do it again.”
