By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-10-19 14:40:08 | Updated at 2024-10-19 16:23:56
1 hour ago
Barack Obama took aim at Donald Trump's competence and labeled his persona as 'all-pretend-tough-guy' during an Arizona rally.
The former president mocked Trump's recent town hall appearance in Pennsylvania where he stopped taking questions and danced on stage for 30 minutes after two people who took ill had to be attended to.
'You would be worried if your grandpa was acting like this,' Obama quipped to the crowd of 7,000 in Tucson on Friday.
He also painted the presidential hopeful as a grifter and a hypocrite.
'When he's not complaining, he's trying to sell you stuff,' Obama said. 'This is my favorite: He's got the Trump Bible — wants you to buy the word of God, Donald Trump edition.'
Barack Obama took aim at Donald Trump 's competence and his 'all-pretend-tough-guy' persona during an Arizona rally
The Democratic Party icon maintained that the Bibles were printed in China, despite Trump's statements about his firm stance against Beijing.
'So, Mr. Tough Guy on China, except when he can make a few bucks hawking his Trump edition Bibles,' Obama said. 'You can't make this stuff up.'
The comments mark a more personal attack style as Kamala Harris appears to be losing ground in key battleground state polling, a hardline move that was welcomed by some Democrat supporters, the Washington Post reports.
Trump has a narrow lead over Harris in Arizona, but he lost the state in 2016 in part due to his controversial remarks about the state's former Senator John McCain.
President Joe Biden won Arizona by a slim margin four years ago and there are concerns that Harris is not making enough gains among some key demographics.
Obama went on to appeal directly to the young men Kamala Harris needs to win over.
'I have to say, I've noticed this, especially with some men who think Trump's behavior, the bullying and the putting people down, acting all-pretend-tough guy, that somehow that's a sign of strength,' Obama said.
'I am here to tell you that is not what strength is. Never has been.'
He drew a comparison to his former adversary, the late Senator McCain, as another way to take a swipe at Trump.
Obama mocked the president's recent performance at a town hall in Pennsylvania where he stopped taking questions and swayed on stage to music
The popular Democrat figure was on the campaign trail for Kamala Harris at a rally in Tucson Friday
'Being here in Tucson, I'm thinking about my friend, John McCain,' Obama said.
'I don't want to over-romanticize our relationship. But you know what? He understood that some values transcend party.
'He believed in honest argument and hearing the views of other people. He didn't demonize his political opponents.'
He praise how McCain, who he faced off against in the 2008 election, had once defended him against a woman at a townhall in Lakeville who said she didn't trust Obama as he was an 'Arab'.
McCain responded by telling the crowd that Obama was a decent man who he just disagreed with politically.
'One of the most disturbing things about this election and Donald Trump's rise in politics is how we seem to have set aside the values that people like a John McCain stood for,' Obama said.
'When Donald Trump lies or cheats or bullies or shows utter disregard for our Constitution when he calls service members like John McCain losers because they died in battle or were captured … people make excuses for it, that it's okay so long as their side win.'
He attempted to appeal to Arizona voters by invoking the memory of the state's late former senator John McCain and contrasting his qualities with Trump's
Obama also appealed directly young male voters who Harris desperately needs to win over by asserting that Trump promotes toxic masculinity
McCain served in the Vietnam war and was a double Purple Heart recipient who went on to earn several more military accolades.
Following his defeat to Obama, Trump branded McCain a 'loser'.
'He's not a war hero, he was a war hero because he was captured,' Trump told crowds while campaigning in Iowa.
Obama made reference to Trump by name almost 36 times, AZ Central reports.
He asked the crowds if they thought the Republican nominee has ever changed a diaper or a tire in an attempt to portray him as an out-of-touch elitist.
'I understand why people are looking to shake things up. I get why sometimes folks are frustrated with politics.
'I am sometimes frustrated with politics, so I get it. What I cannot understand is why anyone would think that Donald Trump will shake things up in a way that is good for you.'
