Obama Visits Key Battleground State Pennsylvania for Speech
With the U.S. presidential election less than a month away, former President Barack Obama has stepped up to support Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate.
On the 10th (local time), at a rally held at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, Obama said in his speech, "Kamala is the most prepared candidate among all presidential candidates in history, and she also has an excellent partner in Governor Tom Wolf," emphasizing, "Don't just sit on the couch hoping for the best. Vote."
Wearing a blue dress shirt and shaking hands with the crowd as he playfully took the stage, former President Obama began by expressing condolences to residents of Florida and North Carolina affected by Hurricane Milton. He said, "I appreciate the hard work of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which was the first to step up in response to the hurricane," and added, "Competent leadership makes this kind of difference."
Obama listed Vice President Harris's policy pledges, stressing, "To make these happen, we need a Senate full of serious public servants." He pointed out that Harris's promises, such as new homebuyer subsidies and various tax credit programs for the middle class, would be difficult to pass if the Senate falls to the Republicans.
Obama also continued his sharp criticism of former President Donald Trump. He compared Trump to Fidel Castro, the former Cuban head of state who led the Cuban communist revolution, saying, "I don't understand why anyone thinks Donald Trump will lead Pennsylvania in a positive direction." He added, "There is no evidence that Trump thinks about anyone other than himself," and attacked, "He constantly tries to sell you things," targeting Trump's sale of merchandise through his social media platform Truth Social.
Obama further criticized, "(Trump) believes that stoking fear is the way to win this election," and questioned, "If the barriers, separations, and deportations he talks about regarding immigrants are so dangerous, why didn't he resolve them during his term?" He emphasized, "For Trump, freedom means getting away with doing something wrong, but the freedom we believe in is the right to make personal decisions about one's body," stating that Vice President Harris would sign legislation protecting access to abortion if elected.
Obama did not forget to encourage the crowd at the rally to vote. He said, "If you are attending this rally, you have probably already voted," explaining, "There are three ways: early voting, requesting a mail-in ballot, or voting on election day." He also stressed, "We don't need to see four more years of arrogance, foolishness, bluster, and division," adding, "America is ready to turn the page, and we are ready to move on to a story that helps us work together instead of being hostile to each other." The crowd responded with loud cheers, shouting "Vote."
Pennsylvania, where early voting for the November election has begun, holds the largest number of electoral votes (19) among the seven battleground states, making it a region that neither presidential candidate can afford to lose. The New York Times (NYT) noted, "Harris holds a very narrow lead over Trump in this area," and "This is a place she must win to defeat Trump."
Local media see the strategic intent behind placing Vice President Harris, who enjoys the highest popularity in the Democratic Party alongside Obama, in Pennsylvania, the key battleground. Analysis suggests that the high voter turnout among the younger generation in this area is the decisive key to Harris's victory. According to a research team from Tufts University, the number of registered voters aged 18 to 29 in Pennsylvania last month decreased by 15% compared to the presidential election four years ago.
Meanwhile, former President Obama plans to visit major battleground states starting with his speech in Pennsylvania to campaign in support of Vice President Harris. Another ally, former President Bill Clinton, is scheduled to visit Georgia on the 12th and 13th and then meet rural voters through a bus tour in North Carolina.
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