Former President Barack Obama told a rally in Charlotte on Friday that Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson makes former President Donald Trump “almost seem normal” as he supports Democrats running for statewide office.
Obama addressed a crowd at the Charlotte Convention Center during the rally for Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president. A lively crowd filled the ballroom as Obama spoke about immigration and his personal values and criticized Trump and Robinson.
“This man called the Civil Rights Movement ‘nonsense,’ called LGBTQ people ‘filth,’ identified himself as a Nazi, and proposed bringing back slavery,” Obama said of Robinson. “I think it’s fair to say you don’t need a governor who makes Donald Trump look almost normal.”
Obama’s comments were taken in part from a CNN report that alleged Robinson made racist, misogynistic and anti-Semitic comments on a porn website more than a decade ago. Robinson has denied making the comments and has announced a lawsuit against CNN over the report.
Earlier in the meeting, Attorney General Josh Stein, the Democratic candidate for governor, told the crowd that “not a single person in this room tonight” needed the CNN story to know “that man is unfit to be our governor .’
Obama said Stein did a great job as attorney general, fighting for survivors of sexual assault, helping families affected by the fentanyl crisis and defending voting rights.
“As your governor, he will do even more: cut taxes for workers, expand technical education and pay teachers what they earn,” he said. “Stein believes that if you work hard and take responsibility, you should be able to get it.”
Obama also expressed support for Mo Green, the Democratic nominee for North Carolina’s superintendent of public instruction. Obama referred to Republican candidate Michele Morrow’s comment that she would like to see Obama “before the firing squad.” on X in 2020.
“I have taken a particular interest in following the race for school inspectors here. Apparently the Republican candidate has spread conspiracy theories and thinks I should face a firing squad,” Obama said. “We can’t have someone just saying crazy things running your school system, buying textbooks, allocating resources to our children. We need someone like Mo Green.”
Before his appearance in Charlotte, a spokesperson for the Republican Party of North Carolina called the rally “desperate.”
“The desperate final days of the Harris campaign have arrived,” spokesman Matt Mercer wrote in a statement to The Charlotte Observer. “Bringing divisive figures like Barack Obama back to North Carolina reminds us that President Trump will once again fix the economy, restore the border and make America respected again on the world stage.”
Obama talks about Trump
Obama spent much of his speech criticizing Trump.
He expressed disappointment over Trump’s response to COVID-19, his plans for a mass deportation of immigrants and his efforts to spread disinformation. Obama referenced conspiracy theories spread by Trump in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene that FEMA allocated disaster relief funds to migrant services instead of Helene victims, which FEMA says is false.
“When did that become okay?” he said. “When Donald Trump lies or cheats… people make excuses.”
Obama also noted that Trump was accused by his former chief of staff John Kelly of saying positive things about Hitler, including that he “did some good things.” Trump is not fit to be president again, Obama said.
Trump has since denied making those comments, telling reporters this week that he is “the opposite” of Hitler.
“His behavior has become so common that people no longer take it seriously,” he said. “Some of the people who know Donald Trump best have said in no uncertain terms that he should not run for president again.”
Obama also said he knows many people are struggling financially, including paying for health care. Harris has a plan to help America’s working class access health care, Obama said. Obama joked about the former president’s comments during the presidential debate, saying Trump has “concepts for a plan.”
Obama concluded his speech by telling voters that this election is about preserving American values and democracy.
“We know that real strength is about working hard, taking responsibility and telling the truth, even when it’s hard, and that real strength is about helping those in need and taking care of your neighbors,” he said. “That’s what we should want in our daughters and sons, and that’s what I want to see in the president of the United States.”
Obama was joined at the meeting by a host of Democratic officials from North Carolina, including U.S. Rep. Alma Adams, a Democrat whose district covers Charlotte.
“None of the polls, (none of the) endless news cycles, none of it means anything if we don’t rule this mother out,” Adams said. “Bring real change to North Carolina, change to the United States.”
