Obama calls on black men to hesitate to vote for Kamala Harris

WASHINGTON – Former President Barack Obama on Thursday admonished black men for being reluctant to support Democratic nominee Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, suggesting that some are not behind her because she is a woman.

Obama's tough remarks, delivered to his supporters at a Harris campaign office in Pittsburgh, came as polls showed former President Donald Trump, the 2024 Republican candidate, making slight gains among black men, particularly young black men has. Democrats are also worried about signs of declining black voter turnout next month, even as the country could elect the first black female president in U.S. history.

“I'm just going to go ahead and just say: Speak a few truths, if you don't mind,” Obama said, “because my understanding, based on reports that I'm getting from campaigns and communities, is that we're not there yet “I have seen the same kind of energy and participation in all areas of our neighborhoods and communities as I did when I ran.”

He added that it “seems to be more pronounced among the brothers,” as he specifically aimed his comments at black men.

More: Barack Obama returns to the campaign trail for Kamala Harris, Democrats: 5 takeaways

Obama, the country's first and only black president, said that black men “come up with all kinds of reasons and excuses,” adding, “I have a problem with that.”

“Because part of it makes me think — and I speak directly to men — part of it makes me think that you just don’t feel the idea of having a woman as president, and you come up with the idea, “There is other alternatives and other reasons for doing so,” Obama said.

More: Trump pounces while Harris hesitates to draw contrasts with Biden

A USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll in August of black voters in Pennsylvania found that 78% of black women in the state planned to vote for Harris, compared to 63% of black men. The poll found that 15% of likely black male voters in Pennsylvania supported Trump, while only 7% of black women supported Trump.

Harris has since gained greater support among black voters, with a Pew Research Center poll last month showing Harris leading Trump 84% to 13% among black voters nationwide. However, that is a narrower margin than in the 2020 election, when Black voters supported President Joe Biden by a margin of 92% to 8% in the election, according to exit polls.

Although not a majority, black men in the Pew survey were 38% to 24% more likely than black women to say they have confidence in Trump's ability to handle the economy.

More: Harris is making big gains among black voters in key battleground states, but gaps remain

Obama: “Are you thinking about sitting out?”

Obama returned to the campaign trail, holding his first rally for Harris on Thursday evening in Pittsburgh. Stops in Tucson, Arizona and Las Vegas are planned next week. Harris, already the first Black woman and Asian American to be nominated for a major party's presidential nomination, would be the country's first Black female president if elected.

In a close election, even a slight shift among black voters could make a big difference in a race that will likely come down to seven battleground states – with Pennsylvania, with its 19 electoral votes, the biggest prize of all.

More: The Bro Vote: Trump and Harris duel over what it means to be a man in America

“I'm sorry, gentlemen, this has come to my attention, especially among some men who see Trump's behavior – bullying and belittling people – as a sign of strength,” Obama said at the rally in an appeal to male voters . “I’m here to tell you that that’s not what true strength is. It never was.”

The gender gap will be particularly wide in the 2024 election. According to a USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll last month, Harris leads among female voters in Pennsylvania 56-39%, while Trump leads among male voters 53-41%.

Earlier, Obama told the Harris campaign office that black men in Harris had a candidate “who grew up like you, knows you, went to college with you and understands the struggles and the pain and the joy that come from those experiences.” “

“And on the other hand, you have someone who consistently disrespects not only the community but you as a person,” he said. “And you’re thinking about sitting outside?”

“That’s not me,” a man in the audience responded.

“You know, Cousin Pookie could be it,” Obama said. The man replied, “It could be.”

Obama then urged Harris' black supporters to talk to people in their communities. “Our challenge is to talk to the people on the sidelines,” the former president said.

Reach Joey Garrison on X, formerly Twitter, @joeygarrison.

(This story has been updated to correct a typo in a headline.)

Obama: “Are you thinking about sitting out?”

Related Posts

Taylor Swift supports the Chiefs, backup dancer for the rival team

Watch Alabama vs Georgia game today: channel, time, streaming information

FDA announces recall of French Dip due to “potential mold contamination.”

Leave a Reply Cancel reply