Former US President Barack Obama has criticised President Donald Trump and his Republican allies, accusing them of abandoning basic standards of decency as he campaigned for Democratic candidates in Ohio ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.Obama focused much of his criticism on Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who has continued to defend an advertisement featuring the estranged mother of his Democratic rival, Dr Amy Acton. Trump and vice president JD Vance have also defended the campaign, despite calls from prominent Ohio Republicans, including governor Mike DeWine, to withdraw it.“In recent days, we have seen there is no line he will not cross, no low he will not sink to,” Obama said of Ramaswamy. He noted that Acton has “spoken movingly about her painful childhood and all she has experienced: abuse, neglect and homelessness”.“There is a decency we should expect out of our public officials,” Obama continued. “And I do not know what has happened where the standards of behaviour are so low that somebody could run an ad like that.”
Acton accuses Ramaswamy of exploiting her childhood
Acton, who appeared alongside Obama, directly challenged Ramaswamy over the advertisement, accusing him of using her personal history to rescue his campaign.“My opponent has chosen to exploit, intentionally, my childhood to save his stumbling campaign, but it is not going to work,” she said. “Decency still matters.”She added: “Mr Ramaswamy, you are not just out of touch, you are out for yourself and you are a danger to my state. Apparently there is no low to which you will not stoop.”Ramaswamy has defended the advertisement as legitimate campaign material, while the controversy has intensified an already closely fought election in Ohio.Obama also criticised Trump over the cost of living, saying the president had failed to deliver on a key campaign promise to make life more affordable. Instead, he pointed to Trump’s focus on renovating the White House, including plans for a new ballroom and helipad on the South Lawn.“I do not know if you have noticed, but he seems very focused on home renovation,” Obama quipped. “He should be on HGTV.”He went on, “There is gold everywhere. He is got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory.”
Obama campaigns across key battleground states
Obama, 65, remains a prominent campaigner for the Democratic Party and was due to travel to Michigan later on Saturday to support Abdul El-Sayed, a former public health official running against Republican former Representative Mike Rogers.El-Sayed won a divisive Democratic primary by less than one percentage point. Obama’s appearance in Detroit, a city with a predominantly Black population, could help El-Sayed strengthen his support among Black voters. During the primary, his rival Haley Stevens won Wayne County, which includes Detroit, by about six percentage points. Former Vice President Kamala Harris campaigned for El-Sayed in September.El-Sayed has previously criticised Obama’s record, arguing in 2012 that the former president had failed to fulfil all his progressive campaign promises. He wrote that Obama “was not the right choice — he just wasn’t the wrong one”.However, El-Sayed later described Obama as “foundational” to his decision to enter politics, while acknowledging that he still disagreed with parts of the former president’s record.Michigan also has competitive elections for governor, attorney general and secretary of state. Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jocelyn Benson is facing Republican Representative John James.In Ohio, Obama appeared with Acton and former Senator Sherrod Brown, who is seeking to unseat Republican Senator Jon Husted. Trump and Vance have visited the state in recent weeks to campaign for Husted and Ramaswamy.Obama is also scheduled to headline a rally in Georgia next week with Senator Jon Ossoff and gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms. Trump is due to speak in Georgia on Saturday.
Obama urges voters to reject Republican leadership
Acknowledging that Trump would remain president for another two years, until his term ends, Obama urged voters to use the midterm elections to challenge Republican leaders.“We are not stuck with a spineless Congress and Republican governors who are handling lawlessness and carelessness and cruelty and indifference for working people,” Obama said.“After two years of chaos and cruelty and corruption and incompetence … you get a chance to say enough is enough.”
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