President Obama chose to give his Democratic National Convention speech from the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, as a way to emphasize that “our very democracy is at stake,” according to a Democratic official.
His speech certainly sounded urgent.
Obama urged voters to consider "the stakes" in this election, because "what we do will echo through generations to come." Speaking from the city where the Constitution was signed, Obama said the document was imperfect, but it included a "North Star that would lead future generations." And in fact, he said, it did. It created a system of representative government, gradually making this country more just, more equal, and more free.
And then, Obama said, came Donald Trump. If you listened closely to Obama's remarks, Trump has singlehandedly destroyed democracy.
“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," Obama said. "But he never did.”
Then the camera got closer.
"He has shown no interest in putting in the work," Obama continued. "He has no interest in finding common ground."
The former president made it sound as though the hundreds of thousands of COVID-related deaths in the U.S., and the millions of lost jobs were also the direct fault of the president. That's because throughout the pandemic, Obama suggested that Trump has "made stuff up" instead of listening to the science.
From where Obama was standing, he said it seems like Trump is using the White House as "one more reality show that he can use to get the attention he craves."
"Donald Trump hasn't grown into the job, because he can't," Obama concluded.
His speech sounded pretty similar to the one his wife Michelle gave on Monday night, telling viewers that Trump is “in over his head.” She, too, had "hoped" for better.
Oh, and Obama did talk about the Democratic nominee as well. In his few minutes actually talking about Joe Biden, who he called his brother, Obama talked highly of his resilience, which "was borne of too much struggle," and his empathy, which was "borne of too much grief."
Unlike Trump, Obama argued, Biden treats everyone he meets with respect and dignity.