Obama seeks support for Democrats in battleground states | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News - NHKニュース
Former US President Barack Obama has addressed voters in a bid to rally support for Democratic candidates in two battleground states, with the midterm elections 10 days away.
Obama visited the Midwestern states of Ohio and Michigan on Saturday. Close Senate races are expected in both states.In Michigan, he gave a campaign speech for Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed in the state's largest city of Detroit.Obama criticized President Donald Trump's administration, noting that its actions are directly responsible for rising costs.The former president said the most important of a series of bad decisions Trump made was a decision to start an unnecessary war with Iran.Obama said this election is the "last best chance" to "rein in some of the foolishness of this administration."He urged people to vote for El-Sayed, who advocates policies including narrowing economic disparities and enhancing public service.Some Democratic supporters see El-Sayed as too left-leaning and distance themselves from him. Obama asked people how was it radical to want everybody to have health care and an affordable place to live.The Democratic Party apparently hopes to rally a wide range of support including from independents by using the popularity of the former president.Trump will also hold a rally in Michigan on Sunday to call for support for Mike Rogers.
Trump voted early for the midterm elections in the southern state of Florida with his wife Melania on Saturday.After casting his ballot, Trump told reporters that "a sitting president always does badly" in the midterms, but went on to say: "I don't think that's going to happen. There's no president that's ever campaigned like I have."Trump called for support at a rally in the southern state of Georgia later that day. He said: "What I'm asking you to do is pretend that I'm on the ballot. You got to get out and you got to vote." He sharply criticized Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who was rallying in the Midwestern state of Michigan around the same time. The president called El-Sayed a "fake," a "phony," and a "radical."Trump also criticized Obama. He said the former president once stated that the United States is not a manufacturing country.Trump described manufacturing jobs as "real jobs," and said, "They really make our country go."
