Until this weekend, Barack Obama kept a low profile in the Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial campaigns. But a few days before the elections, the former president of the United States spoke at a meeting this Saturday, November 1, to defend the Democratic candidates and attack Donald Trump’s record since his return to the White House last January.
“It’s hard to know where to start, because every day this White House offers us a new dose of anarchy, negligence and pettiness, and simply madness,” Barack Obama summarized in Norfolk, Virginia, estimating in passing that the situation is “even worse than I had predicted.”
“Like it’s Halloween every day”
“It’s like it’s Halloween every day, except there are only spells and no candy,” said the former US president, mentioning in particular the deployment of the National Guard in cities like Los Angeles or Washington or the arrests of people on the street by agents of ICE, the US immigration authority, “under the pretext that they don’t look like real Americans.”
Nine months after the start of Donald Trump’s second term, “has the situation improved” for those who wanted to “try their luck” with the Republican? the former president once again pretended to ask himself in a meeting.
“Is the economy working better for you? Because it certainly has gotten better for (Donald) Trump and his family,” Barack Obama said.
“For ordinary families, costs have not gone down, but rather increased because of this chaotic tariff policy,” he added, referring to the tariffs imposed by Donald Trump.
Two elections with test value
There is no need to speculate about the dangers that threaten our democracy: they are very real,” summarized Barack Obama, who also criticized the Republicans in Congress. “They refuse to oppose the president even when they know he crosses the line,” while the Supreme Court shows “no will to control the excesses of this administration,” laments the former president.
In response to the boos that accompanied his speech, Barack Obama called on voters to vote. Because the results of the elections in Virginia and New Jersey that will take place on Tuesday, November 4, will be analyzed beyond the local level. They will serve, to some extent, as a barometer ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Former Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger is the clear favorite in Virginia. Incumbent Democratic House member Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey is neck and neck with Republican Jack Ciattarelli.
Source: BFM TV
