There have been signs of desperation from the Harris-Walz campaign for a while now, and sending Barack Obama to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to help boost the black vote for Kamala on Election Day might just be the most significant.
Enlisting Obama, who infamously refused to endorse Kamala Harris immediately after Joe Biden dropped out and instead called for an open process to select Biden's replacement because he didn't think Kamala could win, on its face is quite revealing. Why? Because it's a concession from the Harris-Walz campaign that Kamala has a problem with black men—who are trending more and more toward Trump.
But Obama's message to these voters told us a lot more. He played the race card as if he had an entire deck full of them.
New York Times reporter Erica Green, who has been covering the Harris campaign, gave us a taste of what Barack Obama said in a pool report.
"And you're coming up with all kinds of reasons and excuses, I've got a problem with that," he said.
"Because part of it makes me think -- and I'm speaking to men directly -- part of it makes me think that, well, you just aren't feeling the idea of having a woman as president, and you're coming up with other alternatives and other reasons for that."
He said that the "women in our lives have been getting our backs this entire time."
"When we get in trouble and the system isn't working for us, they're the ones out there marching and protesting," he said.
"And now you're thinking about sitting out or supporting somebody who has a history of denigrating you, because you think that's a sign of strength, because that's what being a man is? Putting women down? That's not acceptable."
Reuters had more:
In remarks that lambasted Trump both for his character and his policy proposals, Obama zeroed in on male voters, a constituency Harris has struggled to win over.
"I’m sorry, gentlemen. I’ve noticed this especially with some men who seem to think Trump’s behavior, the bullying, and the putting people down is a sign of strength. I am here to tell you that is not what real strength is," he said.
"Real strength is about helping people who need it and standing up for those who can’t always stand up for themselves. That is what we should want for our daughters and for our sons."
Before the rally, during a stop at a local campaign office, Obama went a step further, suggesting Black men were not supporting Harris because of her gender.
"Part of it makes me think -- and I'm speaking to men directly -- part of it makes me think that, well, you just aren't feeling the idea of having a woman as president and you're coming up with other alternatives and other reasons for that."
When Barack Obama accuses black men of not supporting Kamala Harris because she's a woman, that reeks of desperation. When Barack Obama tells black men they should vote for Kamala Harris because she's black, that reeks of desperation. When Barack Obama tells black men they vote by identity rather than in their own interests, that reeks of desperation.
Let's face it. Barack had no other narrative to push because he can't honestly claim that Kamala Harris will make their lives better. Clearly, as sitting vice president who has admitted to being a part of key policy decisions of the Biden-Harris administration, she has failed to do so for the past three and a half years.
Obama's words in Pittsburgh only proved that his concern that Kamala can't win the election is very real.
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