Obama Torches ‘Racist Sexist Bigoted’ Trump MSG Rally: ‘These Are Americans — They’re People!’
Former President Barack Obama lashed out at former President Donald Trump over jokes attacking Puerto Ricans that were told at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally.
Trump is getting a lot of attention for the antics at his Madison Square Garden rally, which his critics compared to an infamous 1939 American Nazi rally even before it began.
In particular, comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s joke about Puerto Rico being a “floating island of garbage” has been played essentially on a loop by cable news following the rally — so much so that the Trump campaign tried to distance itself from the comment.
At a rally in Philadelphia on Monday, Obama tore into Trump over the remarks:
Donald Trump wants us to think that this country is hopelessly divided between us and them – between the, quote “real Americans” who support him, of course, and the outsiders who don’t – ‘the enemies within.’ Because, what did I say about booing? Vote. Because, because Donald Trump understands – and he’s not wrong about this – that, that dividing people, making them angry, will boost his chances of being elected. It’s not good for the country, but it might improve his odds.
We saw it last night… The man holds a big rally at Madison Square Garden, and the warm-up speakers were saying the most, were-were trotting out and peddling the most racist, sexist, bigoted stereotypes. One guy called Puerto Rico, quote ‘an island of garbage.’ These, these are fellow citizens he’s talking about. Here in Philadelphia, they are your neighbors. They are your friends, they are your coworkers. Their kids go to school with your kids. These are Americans, they’re people.
And that is the reason why this election should not be close. It should be clear. Here’s a good rule: if someone does not respect you, if someone does not see you as fellow citizens with equal claims to opportunity, to the pursuit of happiness, to the American Dream, you should not vote for them. You should not expect them to make your life better. They will not help you make the– they will not help you pay the bills. They’re not going to work hard, make sure your kid gets a good education. They’re not going to help you with a downpayment on a house.
I mean, we have to reject the kind of politics of division and hatred that we saw represented. America’s ready to turn the page. America’s ready for a better story. Philadelphia, we are ready for a President Kamala Harris.
Watch above via Pool.
