Obama admits Harris campaign doesn’t have ‘energy’ like his WH campaign

pittsburgh – former president barack obama It was suggested Thursday that people of color oppose Vice President Kamala Harris just because she is a woman, while the Democratic nominee was criticized for not generating the “same kind of energy” as her campaign.

“We’ve still got to see the same kind of energy and presence in all corners of our neighborhoods and communities that we saw when I was running,” 63 year old Obama said At a “Black Voters for Harris” event in Pittsburgh, before a rally for Harris.

“I also want to say that it seems to be more pronounced with brothers,” he said, referring to black people.

“(Y)You’re coming up with all kinds of reasons and excuses,” The former President said Lack of enthusiasm for Harris’ candidacy among some black people. “I have a problem with that.

Obama claimed, “Part of it makes me think that, well, you’re not feeling the idea of ​​having a woman president, and you’re coming up with other options and other reasons for it. ”

Polling indicates a a higher percentage of black Americans The 78-year-old plans to vote for former President Donald Trump in 2024 rather than 2020 — with 1 in 4 black men under 50 are supporting the 45th president, according to last month’s NAACP poll.

Obama argued that it is “not acceptable” for black people to support Trump.

“And now, you’re thinking about sitting out or supporting someone who has a history of defaming you, because you think that’s a sign of strength, because that’s what being a man is? Demeaning women? This is not acceptable,” he said.

At the rally — the first of a series of swing-state events that will feature the first and only Black president in U.S. history stumping for the 59-year-old Harris on Election Day — Obama stood out the most as he railed against men . Who believe that Trump is a strong candidate.

He said, “I’m sorry, gentlemen, I noticed this, especially with some people, who think Trump’s behavior of pulling people over and putting them down is a sign of strength.” “And I’m here to tell you that real strength isn’t that.”

“(The good news is that you have candidates to vote for in this election who demonstrate that kind of care, who know what real strength looks like, who will set a good example and do the right thing and They’d be better off finding it than leaving the country,” Obama argued.

Earlier in his remarks, Obama acknowledged that rising prices under the Harris-Biden administration — which he attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic — have “put a strain on family budgets.”

“I understand why people want to shake things up,” he said. “I mean, I’m an optimistic-change person.

Obama continued, “So, I understand that people are feeling disappointed and feeling that we can do better.” “I can’t understand why anyone would think that Donald Trump would shake things up in a way that would be good for you, Pennsylvania.”

He later compared Trump to the brutal, late Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.

“You get the tweets in all caps, the ranting and raving about crazy conspiracy theories, the two-hour speeches — word salad — it’s like Fidel Castro,” Obama told the crowd.

Reggie Jones, a Black man from South Carolina who was selling Harris merchandise at the rally, told The Post he thought the vice president had a different reason for having trouble with Black people.

“(That’s) because he put a lot of us in jail as a prosecutor,” Jones said.

He candidly admitted, “I’m just selling her stuff for money.”

Salmata Alghali, a Detroit saleswoman and Harris supporter, said men’s support for Trump stems from the thought “he would be different.”

“Some people are tired of the same politics,” he said. “(Harris) represents the same old thing.

“Trump is saying things that may seem ridiculous, (but) he’s excited,” she said.

Alghali said she has heard some of her black male friends accuse Harris of supporting transgender surgery for minors, or that she has incarcerated too many black men.

“Instead of doing their research, they just believe it,” he said.

“They feel this murder thing Now he’s completely gangsterized,” Alghali said of black male Trump supporters. “It’s all bulls–t.”