President Barack Obama made another stop in Ohio yesterday to campaign for Hillary Clinton and encourage voter turnout. Filling up the Field House at Capital University in Bexley, Obama and local officials criticized their Republican counterparts up for election next week, getting in several digs at Senator Rob Portman.
Obama tried to keep it light-hearted and hopeful, suggesting people early vote on Taco Bell’s “Steal a Base, Steal a Taco” day, which is today, November 2.
“If you can find the time to get a free taco, you can find the time to vote,” he said. “You get something good for your soul, and then you get something good for your appetite.”
He omitted any mention of FBI Director James Comey’s decision to reopen the investigation into Clinton’s use of a private server for classified emails. Another 650,000 (potentially meaningless) emails were found on a laptop in the separate investigation of Anthony Weiner, a former congressman from New York who’s accused of sending sexually explicit photos of himself to a minor.
Instead he brought back his campaign slogans “Yes, We Can!” and “Hope,” instructing the audience to choose hope and reject fear and cynicism. Putting the presidential candidates side by side, Obama was incredulous that people were still comparing the two, emphasizing the insensitivity Donald Trump has shown minorities, women, prisoners of war and people with disabilities. Repeatedly referring to Trump as “that guy,” Obama’s goal seemed to be quelling the distrust stirring toward his successor in these final days.
Obama further argued that sexism has a vital role in people’s hesitation to vote for Clinton and reminded listeners about the composure and lack thereof in hers and Trump’s public personas.
“A man you can bait with a tweet is not a man you can trust with nuclear weapons,” Obama said, quoting Clinton.
He addressed the men in the audience specifically, suggesting they question the normalcy of having men in positions of power, especially in government. Obama called on them to confront any personal biases that might keep them from voting for Clinton, asking “How much of it is that we’re just not used to it?”
The comment could refer to a series of electoral maps that have gone viral showing how the election would play out if only certain groups of people voted. A little unsurprisingly, if only women voted, Clinton would win by a landslide. If only men voted, Trump would be the victor. In Ohio, as of October 30, Trump is leading Clinton by 2.5 points.
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