By ANDREA CAVALLIER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sunday October 16, 2022
Former president Barack Obama told Democrats to stop
obsessing over 'the latest crazy thing' Donald Trump does and instead focus
their energy on issues that impact voters most directly - like inflation and
gas prices.
Obama offered his advice about Trump, who continues to tease
the possibility of running for president again in 2024, during an interview
with Pod Save America that aired exclusively on SiriusXM’s Progress Channel
Friday night.
'We spend enormous amounts of time and energy and resources
pointing out the latest crazy thing he said, or how rude or mean some of these
Republican candidates behaved,' Obama said.
'That's probably not something that in the minds of most
voters overrides their basic interests — Can I pay the rent? What are gas
prices? How am I dealing with childcare?'
The former president is headed to Georgia, Michigan and
Wisconsin to host midterm campaign rallies at the end of this month to give a
boost to Democratic Senate and gubernatorial candidates.
Obama who is among the highest profile Democratic surrogates
since he left office, is expected to highlight Democratic accomplishments, but
also raise the alarm over the state of American democracy.
'The thing that I think sometimes we seem to make a mistake
on is his behavior can be so outrageous,' Obama said about Trump. 'And now,
folks who try to copy him and his outrageous behaviors, get a lot of attention.
And so we join that game.'
According to the Washington Post, a 2020 poll by Gallup
rated Obama as the second most admired man among Americans, just slightly
behind Trump and ahead of President Joe Biden.
'The great thing that I think we have going for us is, is
that even with really slim majorities, what we've shown is, is that we can
deliver,' Obama on the podcast.
'You've got the Inflation Control Act that has lowered
prescription drug prices, has made sure that health care is even more
affordable through the ACA, that is looking at lowering energy costs. You've
got a gun bill that is the first major piece of gun safety legislation that
we've seen in 30 years.'
Obama makes his first stop in Atlanta, where Stacey Abrams
is taking on Republican Gov. Brian Kemp on November 8. She lost a close race to
him in 2018.
As in 2020, Georgia may also once again decide which party
controls the Senate.
Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock is facing a challenge from
Republican Herschel Walker, a football star making his first bid for public
office.
After campaigning in Atlanta on October 28, Obama has
planned stops the following day in Detroit and Milwaukee for events to help get
out the vote.
In Michigan, Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is running
against Tudor Dixon, a onetime commentator for a conservative online program
who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump.
Michigan voters also are deciding whether to enshrine
abortion rights in the state constitution.
In Wisconsin, Democratic Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes is trying
to unseat Republican Sen. Ron Johnson and become the state's first Black
senator.
Barnes, who is from Milwaukee, the state's largest city and
home to the largest group of black voters, has been trying to energize black
voters in a race that a Marquette University Law School poll this past week
showed Johnson with an apparent lead.
Obama also hopes to give a boost to Democratic Gov. Tony
Evers, who is being challenged by Tim Michels, a construction company co-owner
who is endorsed by Trump. Marquette polls for months have shown that race to be
about even.