Barack Obama blames Donald Trump for US Covid-19 death toll
Barack Obama has blamed Donald Trump directly for America’s record coronavirus death toll and its crushed economy.
Barack Obama has blamed Donald Trump directly for America’s record coronavirus death toll and its crushed economy, saying he has proved to be incapable of rising to the office of president.
In a blistering critique of the Trump presidency delivered to the Democratic National Convention, Mr Obama portrayed the President as a lazy and self-centred leader who never took the job of president seriously, instead treating it as a reality show.
“I did hope, for the sake of our country, that Donald Trump might show some interest in taking the job seriously; that he might come to feel the weight of the office and discover some reverence for the democracy that had been placed in his care,” Mr Obama said at an address delivered at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia on Wednesday (Thursday AEST).
“But he never did. He’s shown no interest in putting in the work; no interest in finding common ground; no interest in using the awesome power of his office to help anyone but himself and his friends; no interest in treating the presidency as anything but one more reality show that he can use to get the attention he craves.”
The former president said Mr Trump had not grown into the job because he can’t.
“And the consequences of that failure are severe. 170,000 Americans dead. Millions of jobs gone. Our worst impulses unleashed, our proud reputation around the world badly diminished, and our democratic institutions threatened like never before,” he said.
Mr Obama was speaking on the third day of the party’s four-day virtual convention during which Joe Biden’s running mate, Kamala Harris, also gave her acceptance speech.
Senator Harris spoke about her life story of being raised by immigrant parents and of the lessons they taught her about the need to show “compassion, dignity and respect”. But she said the America that she grew up in felt distant today because of Mr Trump, whose “failure of leadership has cost lives and livelihoods”.
“We’re at an inflection point. The constant chaos leaves us adrift. The incompetence makes us feel afraid. The callousness makes us feel alone,” she said.
“Right now, we have a president who turns our tragedies into political weapons. Joe will be a president who turns our challenges into purpose.”
The convention also heard from Hillary Clinton, who lost to Mr Trump in the 2016 election.
“For four years, people have said to me: ‘I didn’t realise how dangerous he was.’ ‘I wish I could go back and do it over’. Or, worst, ‘I should have voted’. Well this can’t be another woulda coulda shoulda election,” the former secretary of state said.
“I wish Donald Trump had been a better president. But, sadly, he is who he is. America needs a president who shows the same compassion, determination and leadership in the White House that we see our communities.
“There’s a lot of heartbreak in America right now — and the truth is many things were broken before the pandemic. But … Joe Biden knows how to heal, unify and lead, because he’s done all of that for his family and his country.”
Speaking before the Democrat speeches, Mr Trump said the reason why he was President was because of the “terrible” job Mr Obama and Mr Biden did as president and vice-president.
“I see the horror that he’s left us, the stupidity of the transactions that he made,” he said of Mr Obama. “The reason I am here is because of president Obama and Joe Biden because if they did a good job, I wouldn’t be here.”
Earlier, he tweeted: “Welcome back Barack and crooked Hillary. See you on the battlefield.”
Those who appeared on the two-hour program included former presidential aspirant Elizabeth Warren and House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Ms Pelosi attacked Mr Trump’s record with women.
“As Speaker, I’ve seen first-hand Donald Trump’s disrespect for facts, for working families and for women in particular … but we know what he doesn’t: that when women succeed, America succeeds,” she said.
In his comments, Mr Obama made a pitch to voters not to give up on America and said they needed to understand who Mr Biden was.
“Twelve years ago, when I began my search for a vice-president, I didn’t know I’d end up finding a brother,” he said.
“Over eight years, Joe was the last one in the room whenever I faced a big decision. He made me a better president. He’s got the character and the experience to make us a better country.
“Tonight, I am asking you to believe in Joe and Kamala’s ability to lead this country out of dark times and build it back better.”
Cameron Stewart is also US contributor for Sky News Australia
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