Former US President Barack Obama took a tongue-in-cheek jab at his own return to politics, saying that Democrats had "worse than I expected" - implying that they had lost their grip on what made them tick. The crowd in Norfolk, Virginia, half-laughed and groaned at his witty remark, which set the tone for an evening of biting criticism aimed squarely at President Donald Trump.
Obama's return to the campaign trail is a far cry from the days when former presidents would quietly slink away to running foundations or writing memoirs. Now, with Joe Biden turning 83 this month, Obama has taken on a new role: filling the vacuum left by his successor and delivering an alternative State of the Union address for Democrats running for governor in New Jersey and Virginia.
The crowd's enthusiasm was palpable as Abigail Spanberger promised that Obama's entrance was just moments away. When he finally took the stage, the 7,000-strong audience erupted into cheers, waving mini-flags and signs bearing his image. The contrast between Trump's flashy antics and Obama's more understated style was stark, with some in attendance remarking that Obama had a sharper act.
Obama tore through a list of Trump's controversies, from turning the justice department against opponents to deploying the national guard to US cities over non-existent crime waves. He savaged Trump's handling of healthcare, climate change and economic policy, and even poked fun at his infamous "covfefe" tweet.
Despite acknowledging that many people voted for Trump due to frustration with inflation, gas prices, and the struggle to afford a home, Obama pointed out that life has become harder under Trump's leadership, with healthcare premiums set to double or triple and the government shut down. He also mocked Trump's self-aggrandizing boasts about the Oval Office, including the reported $300m renovation of the Rose Garden.
The evening was punctuated by laughter and applause as Obama skewered Republicans for scapegoating minorities and DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) for every problem under the sun. When he declared "DEI!" in response to a joke about a flat tire or an angry wife, the crowd roared with approval.
The evening also highlighted the potency of humour as a political tool. Obama's witty one-liners have long been a hallmark of his style, and tonight was no exception. As he concluded by saying that Trump's antics were designed to distract from the fact that ordinary people's lives hadn't improved under his leadership, the crowd lapped it up.
However, beneath the jokes and jabs, Obama left Democrats with a sobering reality: they need someone who will take on Trump head-on. While their best candidate for 2028 is no longer available, Obama's performance reminded America what it has lost - and what they still desperately need to regain.
Obama's return to the campaign trail is a far cry from the days when former presidents would quietly slink away to running foundations or writing memoirs. Now, with Joe Biden turning 83 this month, Obama has taken on a new role: filling the vacuum left by his successor and delivering an alternative State of the Union address for Democrats running for governor in New Jersey and Virginia.
The crowd's enthusiasm was palpable as Abigail Spanberger promised that Obama's entrance was just moments away. When he finally took the stage, the 7,000-strong audience erupted into cheers, waving mini-flags and signs bearing his image. The contrast between Trump's flashy antics and Obama's more understated style was stark, with some in attendance remarking that Obama had a sharper act.
Obama tore through a list of Trump's controversies, from turning the justice department against opponents to deploying the national guard to US cities over non-existent crime waves. He savaged Trump's handling of healthcare, climate change and economic policy, and even poked fun at his infamous "covfefe" tweet.
Despite acknowledging that many people voted for Trump due to frustration with inflation, gas prices, and the struggle to afford a home, Obama pointed out that life has become harder under Trump's leadership, with healthcare premiums set to double or triple and the government shut down. He also mocked Trump's self-aggrandizing boasts about the Oval Office, including the reported $300m renovation of the Rose Garden.
The evening was punctuated by laughter and applause as Obama skewered Republicans for scapegoating minorities and DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) for every problem under the sun. When he declared "DEI!" in response to a joke about a flat tire or an angry wife, the crowd roared with approval.
The evening also highlighted the potency of humour as a political tool. Obama's witty one-liners have long been a hallmark of his style, and tonight was no exception. As he concluded by saying that Trump's antics were designed to distract from the fact that ordinary people's lives hadn't improved under his leadership, the crowd lapped it up.
However, beneath the jokes and jabs, Obama left Democrats with a sobering reality: they need someone who will take on Trump head-on. While their best candidate for 2028 is no longer available, Obama's performance reminded America what it has lost - and what they still desperately need to regain.
. I mean, yes, it's great that Obama is speaking out against Trump, but at what cost? He's basically taking on a new role and setting the tone for an entire party - isn't that kinda pressure? And let's be real, people were half laughing when he made that 'worse than expected' comment 
. Can we really rely on witty one-liners to save us from Trump's antics?
. The contrast between his style and Trump's was pretty stark, and his jab at Trump's self-aggrandizing boasts was on point 
. And that moment when he said 'DEI!' for a flat tire joke? Genius! 
However, can we really say this is the solution to our problems? I mean, what about the rest of us who aren't super connected to politics? Are we just gonna be left behind in the dust 
?
and he called out Trump's BS like nobody's business 
about how far we've fallen under Trump. His whole performance was like a mix of The Daily Show and Hamilton - so sharp and witty 
he was SO savage to trump I mean we all knew he'd call him out but wow did he ever 
he's still got it 
but obama's comeback shows he's the only one who can stop it from crashing into reality 
meanwhile the democrats are just trying to figure out how to fix the tracks 
and honestly if joe biden is 83 next month, obama should probably take over the whole shebang 
, and I'm not mad at him for that 
. The man knows how to bring the heat without burning his tongue 
. Those who are still clinging to their MAGA hats might need a time-out, though 
...
and who needs covfefe when you can have a functioning government? 
the crowd went wild for obama's witty one-liners too! it was like a breath of fresh air compared to trump's antics 
so yeah, i'm all about team obama 2024! 
. but seriously tho, obama did bring some much-needed perspective and class to the campaign trail, unlike trump's over-the-top antics. i think democrats need someone like obama to show them how it's done - a unifying figure who can bring people together instead of driving them further apart 
i'm lowkey hoping he comes out of retirement and runs for prez again tho, even if it's just as a democratic nom 
. The crowd loved it - I mean who wouldn't want to hear a witty diss of covfefe 
. And let's be honest, Trump's antics are getting old 
.
.
.
. But if Democrats want to take back the White House in 2028, they'll need more than just Obama's wit and charm 
.