Former President Barack Obama on Saturday attacked the Trump administration over the Iran war and high consumer prices as he began a campaign swing for Democrats ahead of the November midterm elections, speaking at a rally in Cleveland, Ohio.1,3
Obama was in Cleveland to back Democrats Amy Acton, who is running for governor, and former Sen. Sherrod Brown, who is seeking to return to the Senate. Reports said he was scheduled to appear later in Detroit to support Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. Early voting has begun ahead of the Nov. 3 election, which will determine which party controls Congress for the rest of President Donald Trump's term.1,3,7
Speaking in Cleveland, Obama said Trump had not lowered costs for American consumers while waging war against Iran. "If you thought everyone was too expensive before you know who," he said, referring to Trump, "everything is more expensive now."1,3
Obama said he sympathized with voters who in the 2024 presidential election rejected Democrats over economic and inflation concerns following the Covid pandemic. But he said Trump had only himself to blame for the current state of the economy. He also said the war had given Iran "veto power" over the Strait of Hormuz, which was open to marine traffic before hostilities began in February.1
"This election is our last best chance to at least rein in some of the foolishness of this administration," Obama said. Of the midterms, he added: "This is a circuit breaker in the system. We need to flip that circuit breaker. We need to start bringing some accountability to this administration."1
Obama also mocked the president's renovations of the White House, including his use of gold ornaments. "Does anybody really think this guy in the White House right now is spending all our time thinking about these issues?" Obama asked. "I mean, I don't know if you've noticed, but he seems very focused on home renovations. He should be on HGTV." He added, "He's got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory." NBC News reported that the crowd at the near-capacity Public Auditorium, which holds more than 10,000, responded with amusement.1,3
Trump, who cast an early ballot in Florida on Saturday with First Lady Melania Trump, was asked about the Iran war and said: "I've done it very effectively and I may have to finish it off, or maybe they'll make a deal, but I'm not sure. Either way, we win." Trump was then due to travel to Georgia for a rally for Republican candidates there. BBC News reported that Trump also said "we will see" when asked whether Melania Trump would visit Ukraine, after the White House said she had "successfully secured" a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky.1
The Ohio races are closely watched. Brown is running against Republican Sen. Jon Husted, and Acton is running against Republican Vivek Ramaswamy. NBC News reported that polls show both races are toss-ups, with Democrats hopeful of winning the Ohio governorship for the first time in 20 years. Trump has rallied in the state twice in recent weeks, focusing on Husted, and NBC News reported that he will return next week to Chillicothe.3
Obama criticized Ramaswamy over a campaign ad released this week in which Acton's estranged mother, Donna Arthur, is featured calling her a "liar." Acton has said she has not seen or spoken to Arthur in nearly 50 years, and has said she was sexually abused as a child by Arthur's then-husband. She has said she was removed from Arthur's custody in 1978, after her then-stepfather was charged with rape. BBC News reported that the ad did not mention that charge. "In recent days, we've seen there is no line he will not cross. No low he will not sink to to try to get in the limelight," Obama said of Ramaswamy.1,3
Acton also spoke at the rally before Obama and said Ramaswamy "has chosen to exploit my childhood" to "save his struggling campaign." At the rally she said, "My opponent has chosen to exploit, intentionally, my childhood to save his struggling campaign, but it's not going to work." NBC News reported that Ramaswamy has defended the ad and that his campaign said it planned a $4 million push to air it. NBC News also reported that Trump has expressed his approval of the ad.1,3
Obama also praised Brown, joking that he "still is wearing the same suit he was in when I met him 20 years ago." He added: "You know he got a haircut for this rally, but you all know he's too cheap to get a haircut more than once every couple months."3
Obama's Cleveland appearance was his first campaign rally for the fall midterms, NBC News reported. The Hill reported that Obama was expected to make two Midwest trips, to Cleveland and Detroit, while Trump was set to travel to Georgia.3,7
