I edited the most significant portion of President Obama’s speech in Columbus, Ohio in support of Ted Strickland and Hillary Clinton. It creates a stunning indictment of Trump but more importantly the GOP turning a blind eye to metastasizing cancer within their base and ranks.
President Obama indicting the GOP
President Obama indicated the GOP in a speech he gave in Columbus where he blasted the GOP for their intransigence and for creating Trump. He did not pull any punches.
The President drew the path from the GOP’s irrational intransigence during his administration directly to the creation of Trump.
“The people who knew better didn’t say anything,” Obama said. “They didn’t say ‘Well I disagree with his economic policies, that goes too far.’ They didn’t say ‘I am not sure his foreign policy is the right one for America but we can’t allow our politics to descend into the gutter.’ People like Ted’s [Strickland] opponent [Rob Portman (R-OH)], they stood by while this happened. And Donald Trump, as he is prone to do, he didn’t build the building himself. He just slapped his name on it and took credit for it. And that’s what happened in their party. All that bile, all the exaggeration, all the stuff that was not grounded in fact just kind of bubble up, started surfacing. They know better, a lot of these folks who ran and they didn’t say anything. And so they don’t get credit at the very last minute when finally the guy that they nominated and they endorsed and they supported is caught on tape saying things that no decent person would even think much less say. Much less brag about. Much less laugh about. Or joke about. Much less act on. You can’t wait till that finally happens and then say that’s too much. That’s enough. And think that somehow you are showing any kind of leadership and deserve to be elected to the United States Senate. You don’t get points for that. In fact, I am more forgiving of the people who believe it than the people who know better and stood silently by out of political expediency.”
But the President was not done.
“If your only organizing principle has been to block progress,” Obama continued. “And block what we tried to do to help the American people every step of the way? So you are not even consistent anymore. You claim the mantle of the party of family values. And this is the guy you nominate? And stand by and endorse and campaign with? Until finally at the eleventh hour, you withdraw your nomination? You don’t get credit for that.”
Obama continued calling out the Republicans throughout his speech. They nominated a man who worships Vladimir Putin. They tried to stymie the auto industry bailout that proved extremely successful. They tried to derail the stimulus. They continue to try to kill health care for many. They refuse to increase the minimum wage. They refuse to support equal pay for equal work, gender equality in income. And on and on.
“That’s why we have to win this election at every level,” President Obama said. “That’s where you come in Democrats. That’s where your work will make a difference.”