Former President Barack Obama remarked on Thursday that some black men may harbor reservations about Vice President Kamala Harris due to her gender, while also criticizing the Democratic nominee for lacking the “same kinds of energy” his own campaign generated.
At a “Black Voters for Harris” event in Pittsburgh, prior to a rally for Harris, Obama, 63, stated, “We have yet to see the same kinds of energy and turnout in all corners of our neighborhoods and communities as we saw when I was running.”
He further mentioned, “I also want to say that that seems to be more pronounced with the brothers,” referring to black men.
“The former president expressed concerns regarding the enthusiasm gap for Harris among certain black men, saying, “[Y]ou’re coming up with all kinds of reasons and excuses.” He continued, “I’ve got a problem with that. Part of it makes me think that, well, you just aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president, and you’re coming up with other alternatives and other reasons for that.”
Obama asserted that black men’s support for Trump is “not acceptable.”
Recent polling shows that a greater proportion of black Americans intend to vote for former President Donald Trump, 78, in 2024 than in 2020. An NAACP survey from last month revealed that 1 in 4 black men under 50 is backing the 45th president.
He stated, “And now, you’re thinking about sitting out or supporting somebody who has a history of denigrating you, because you think that’s a sign of strength, because that’s what being a man is? Putting women down? That’s not acceptable.”
During the rally — the first in a series of swing-state events featuring the first and only black president in U.S. history campaigning for Harris, 59, leading up to Election Day — Obama was particularly passionate as he criticized men who view Trump as a stronger candidate.
He remarked, “I’m sorry, gentlemen, I noticed this, especially with some men who seem to think Trump’s behavior pulling and putting people down is a sign of strength.” He emphasized, “And I am here to tell you that is not what real strength is.”
Obama added, “[T]he good news is that you have candidates to vote for in this election that demonstrate that kind of care, who know what real strength looks like, who will set a good example and do the right thing and leave this country better than they found it.”
Earlier in his speech, Obama acknowledged the impact of rising prices under the Harris-Biden administration, which he attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, stating that it has “put a strain on family budgets.”
“I get why people are looking to shake things up,” he said. “I mean, I am the hopey-changey guy. So, I understand people feeling frustrated and feeling we can do better,” he continued. “What I cannot understand is why anybody would think that Donald Trump will shake things up in a way that is good for you, Pennsylvania.”
He later drew a comparison between Trump and the late, ruthless Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.
“You’ve got the tweets in all caps, the ranting and raving about crazy conspiracy theory, the two-hour speeches — word salad — it’s like Fidel Castro, just on and on,” Obama told the audience.
Reggie Jones, a black man from South Carolina who was selling Harris merchandise at the rally, shared with The Post his perspective on why the vice president might be struggling to connect with black men.
“[It’s] because she locked a whole lot of us up as a prosecutor,” Jones remarked.
He added, “I’m just selling her stuff for the money,” candidly admitting his motivation.
Salmata Alghali, a vendor from Detroit and Harris supporter, suggested that men’s support for Trump is driven by the perception that “he’ll be different.”
“Some men are just tired of the same politics,” she explained. “[Harris] represents the same old thing.”
Alghali pointed out that Trump is making statements that resonate with some, saying, “Trump is saying things that might sound ridiculous, [but] they are excited.”
She noted that some of her black male friends accuse Harris of supporting transgender surgery for minors or assert that she has incarcerated many black men.
“Instead of doing their own research, they just believe it,” she lamented.
“They think this assassination thing has him all gangster now,” Alghali said of black male Trump supporters. “It’s all [garbage].”
{Matzav.com}