Former President Donald Trump surprised many Wednesday night with his rare praise for former President Barack Obama, even as he bashed Obama's Democratic vice presidential nominee, Kamala Harris.
Former President Donald Trump appeared to stun many of his critics Wednesday night after he offered rare praise to former President Barack Obama, an action that was unexpected given their ideological differences.
In comments to CNN, Trump said, "I like him," referring to the Illinois Democrat:"I think he’s a nice gentleman, but he was very weak on trade… I happen to like him. I respect him and I respect his wife," Trump said.
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In an ensuing panel, CNN reporter Jamie Gangel wondered aloud, "Who is that man?"
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Trump Praises Obama, Slams Harris as DNC Blasts 'Whining' Ex-President
Meanwhile, CNN anchor John King also appeared surprised and contrasted Trump’s comments with an interview he held with the then-first-time candidate the day Obama released his Hawaiian birth certificate amid pressure from Trump.
Trump’s words, however, were later contrasted with Obama’s comments on the mogul during his Democratic National Convention speech later in the evening.
Obama drew roaring laughter from the crowd when he appeared to make an obscene hand gesture while referring to Trump’s purported obsession with crowd sizes.
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"Here’s a 78-year-old billionaire who has not stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his golden escalator nine years ago," Obama said "It has been a constant stream of gripes and grievances that’s actually been getting worse now that he is afraid of losing to Kamala.""There’s the childish nicknames, the crazy conspiracy theories, this weird obsession with crowd sizes."
For her part, former first lady Michelle Obama also lobbed invectives at Trump, referencing how the GOP nominee has said illegal immigration has disproportionately affected minorities. Trump said in the June debate with President Biden that the influx of migrants is "taking Black jobs."
Michelle Obama asked the DNC crowd who would want to tell Trump that "the job he’s currently seeking might be one of those Black jobs."
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When asked about the disparity, RNC Chairman Michael Whatley said the DNC is no longer "Barack Obama’s Democrat Party.""Kamala Harris is even more dangerously liberal. As California’s attorney general, Harris defied the Obama administration to allow law enforcement to ignore ICE detainers, and she has driven the party even further left by pushing to end private health insurance, impose the job-killing Green New Scam, and spearhead runaway wasteful spending that has driven inflation."
Obama’s speech drew a swift response from the Trump campaign, which accused the former president of "whining" and "being obsessed with crowd sizes."
"Obama’s speech was a pathetic attempt to distract from the disastrous record of the Biden-Harris ticket," said Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh. "Obama knows that Biden and Harris are weak on crime, weak on the economy, and weak on national security. He’s trying to change the subject because he knows that the American people are rejecting the Biden-Harris agenda."
The Trump campaign’s response highlights the growing divide between the two major political parties in the United States. Obama’s speech was a clear attempt to energize the Democratic base, while the Trump campaign’s response was designed to appeal to the Republican base.
It remains to be seen whether Obama’s speech will have any impact on the outcome of the election. However, it is clear that the divide between the two major political parties is widening, and that the upcoming election will be one of the most contentious in recent history.
