In a video dubbed her “closing argument,” former first lady Michelle Obama urged voters to cast their ballot for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, saying he would put an end to chaos and tackle America’s problems, starting with the coronavirus pandemic.
In the 26-minute video posted on social media Tuesday, Obama said President Donald Trump “isn’t up to the job” and that the stakes in the election “are on display every day, not just in the headlines but in our families.”
The former first lady hit Trump hardest on his administration’s response to COVID-19, which has killed more than 210,000 Americans.
“The worst part is it didn’t have to be like this,” Obama said. “Look around the world. So many other countries aren’t experiencing this level of extended suffering and uncertainty. These countries were hit by the same virus as we were. They had the same kind of resources to contain it as we did. But what they didn’t have to contend with was this president.”
She called out Trump for ignoring medical experts, for downplaying the virus despite knowing of its dangers, for demanding schools reopen without ensuring the safety of students and teachers, and for flouting public health guidelines by not consistently wearing a mask and holding large campaign rallies.
“Seven months later, he still doesn’t have a plan for this virus,” Obama said. “Seven months later, he still won’t wear a mask consistently and encourage others to do the same, even when those simple actions could save countless lives. Instead, he continues to gaslight the American people by acting like this pandemic is not a real threat.”
Obama filmed the video before Trump and several other government officials contracted COVID-19 last week. In a written statement that accompanied the video, she said he considered not releasing it in light of the president’s diagnosis. But she said she ultimately decided “I wanted you all to hear what’s been on my mind. Because the fact is that the drama of the past few days has only emphasized what’s at stake in this election.”
Her criticism of the president did not stop with the virus.
“When wildfires rage out west, he says nothing for weeks,” Obama said. “When Americans of all backgrounds peacefully protest racism and police violence, he disparages them and yet eggs on heavily armed militias. When our heroic young men and women answer the call and give their lives for our country, he calls them suckers and losers and publicly mocks Gold Star families and prisoners of war.”
Obama also made a clear appeal to white voters and accused Trump of exploiting racial division.
“It is frustrating to hear some folks say that you’ve been the beneficiary of privilege, that the color of your skin gives you a head start,” the former first lady said. “That is the reality for far too many hardworking, decent Americans. But right now, the president and his allies are trying to tap into that frustration and distract from his breathtaking failures by giving folks someone to blame other than them.
“They’re stoking fears about Black and brown Americans, lying about how minorities will destroy the suburbs, whipping up violence and intimidation, and they’re pinning it all on what’s been an overwhelming peaceful movement for racial solidarity. It’s true. Research backs it up. Only a tiny fraction of demonstrations have had any violence at all. So what the president is doing is, once again, patently false. It is morally wrong. And yes, it is racist.”
Obama said Biden, who served as vice president under her husband, Barack Obama, “can meet this moment” and called him “a leader who has the character and the experience to put an end to this chaos, start solving these problems and help lighten the load for families all across the country.”
She promised Biden would get the virus under control, roll back tax cuts on the rich, lower the cost of prescription drugs, give every American access to affordable health care, work to restore trust beetween police and minority communities, address racial discrimination and protect the planet, among other goals.
“Joe Biden has lived his life guided by values and principles that mirror ones that most Americans can recognize,” Obama said. “I know Joe. He is a good man who understands the struggles of everyday folks.”