Former President Barack Obama is facing intense criticism after his October 10 remarks at a “Black Voters for Harris” event in Pittsburgh, where he expressed frustration with Black men supporting Donald Trump instead of Kamala Harris. Conservative commentator Benny Johnson led the charge, calling Obama’s comments “pure racist identity politics.” Johnson accused Obama of abandoning his previous message of unity, stating, “The magic is gone. This is the same guy who said, ‘There is not a white or Black America—there is only the United States of America!’ Now he’s running on racial supremacy? It’s grotesque.”
Johnson’s remarks were echoed by other conservative figures, including activist CJ Pearson, who took to social media to reaffirm his support for Trump. Pearson tweeted, “In 25 days, I’ll be joining millions of other young Black men and voting for Donald J. Trump! We don’t care what Barack Obama has to say about it.”
Democratic Ohio state senator and former Bernie Sanders campaign advisor Nina Turner also criticized Obama, expressing her disappointment in his decision to single out Black men. Speaking on CNN, Turner said, “Why are Black men being lectured to? Why are Black men being belittled?”
she emphasized that many Black men have valid reasons for voting differently, and those choices should be respected, even if others disagree
As the 2024 election approaches, this backlash reflects broader concerns within the Democratic Party about energizing voters, particularly among Black men, a crucial demographic that could influence the election outcome.
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