Barack Obama tells Democrats ‘mutual respect’ should be their message this election

Former President Barack Obama urged all Americans, regardless of their background and political ideology, to unite behind Vice President Kamala Harris in an impassioned speech Tuesday night at the Democratic National Convention.

Mr. Obama, who has been out of office for nearly eight years, remains the party’s biggest superstar and electrified the audience when he came on stage in his hometown of Chicago.

Neither of the two Democratic Party heads were in attendance for Mr. Obama’s speech.

Ms. Harris attended a campaign rally and watch party in Milwaukee during the DNC. President Biden immediately flew to California after his remarks last night.

The former president laid out the task ahead of Democrats until the November election, urging them to paper over intra-party divisions over the war in Gaza and other contentious issues by focusing on traditional American values.

He said “mutual respect” has to be part of Democrats’ message.

Mr. Obama urged party officials to listen to the concerns of those who aren’t ready to support Democratic candidates, suggesting extending an olive leave to pro-Palestinian protesters.

“We live in a time of such confusion and rancor, with a culture that puts a premium on things that don’t last — money, fame status, likes,” Mr. Obama said. “We don’t trust each other as much because we don’t take the time to know each other — and in that space between us, politicians and algorithms teach us to caricature each other and troll each other and fear each other.”

“But here’s the good news. All across America, in big cities and small towns, away from all the noise, the ties that bind us together are still there,” he continued. “Because the vast majority of us don’t want to live in a country that’s bitter and divided. We want something better.

We want to be better. And the joy and excitement we’re seeing around this campaign tells us we are not alone.” 

Republicans accused Democrats of trying to recapture the magic of Mr. Biden’s historic 2008 presidential victory but said she’s too liberal for mainstream Americans.

“Democrats want to evoke memories of 2008, but this isn’t Barack Obama’s Democratic Party — Kamala Harris is even more dangerously liberal,” said Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley.

“Harris’ handlers can try and moderate her image, but Americans are already saying ‘no we can’t’ to four more years of Kamala Harris’ ‘disastrous policies,’” he said.

Ms. Harris has managed to generate enthusiasm from Democrats since replacing President Biden on the ticket.

However, she is still facing resistance from some on the left over the Biden administration’s handling of the war in Gaza. She is also facing skepticism from working-class Americans that her economic policies will reverse years of soaring grocery prices.

Mr. Obama tried to reassure those voters, telling them that Ms. Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will bring Americans back to a time “where we work together and look out for each other.”

Still, Mr. Obama kicked off his speech with a vicious takedown of Ms. Harris’ rival, former President Donald Trump.

In a series of scathing personal attacks, Mr. Obama called his successor a “78-year-old billionaire who has not stopped whining about his problems since he rode his golden escalator nine years ago.”

He said Mr. Trump’s complaining has gotten worse because “he’s afraid of losing to Kamala.”

“The childish nicknames, the crazy conspiracy theories, this weird obsession with crowd sizes,” Mr. Obama said to loud cheers from the crowd.

“We do not need four more years of bluster and bumbling and chaos, we have seen that movie before and we all know that the sequel is usually worse,” Mr. Obama said.

In his speech Tuesday, Mr. Obama also paid tribute to Mr. Biden, his former vice president. Mr. Obama’s remarks were the lengthiest tribute so far by any DNC speaker honoring Mr. Biden’s legacy.

He said that despite their different backgrounds, they “became brothers” because of Mr. Biden’s “empathy, decency and resilience.”

“History will remember Joe Biden as an outstanding president who defended democracy from great danger,” he said.