President Barack Obama urged attendees Monday at a rally in Ann Arbor, Michigan not to be fooled by Donald Trump’s false narratives about Hillary Clinton and the state of the country.
Speaking to an enthusiastic crowd at the University of Michigan, Obama stressed that attendees shouldn’t buy the dim view of the country that Republicans have tried to sell, asking that they not be “bamboozled” into thinking that Donald Trump would be the answer to all their problems.
“Plants that were closing when I took office are working double shift now. The auto industry has record sales. I think we’ve earned some credibility here,” Obama said. “So when I tell you that Donald Trump is not the guy who’s going to look out for you, you need to listen. Do not be bamboozled. Don’t fall for the okey-doke.”
“In his 70 years on Earth, the Donald has never shown any regard for working folks, I don’t think he knows working people, except for the folks who clean up in his hotels and the folk whose mow the fairway on his golf course,” he continued. “He didn’t care about working people then. He won’t now.”
Obama continued this narrative by urging voters to pay attention to issues and not be roped into “crazy conspiracy theories” about Clinton.
“People, if they just repeat a text enough, and outright lies over and over again, as long as it’s on Facebook and people can see it, as long as it’s on social media, people start believing it, and it creates this dust cloud of nonsense,” Obama said. “So I’ve had to bite my tongue after a lot of the nonsense I’ve heard about Hillary. I know Chelsea has. Can you imagine? Crazy conspiracy theorizing, but I know Hillary. She’s somebody who dedicated her life to making this country better.”
Obama urged young people in particular to know that their votes count and not to fall for those who say that it won’t make a difference.
“The fate of our democracy depends on what you do when you step into that voting booth tomorrow,’ Obama said. “How many people you bring to make sure they vote. Do not fall into the easy cynicism that says your vote doesn’t matter. All politicians are the same. That’s what special interests and lobbyists, my opponents, Hillary’s opponents think. So you don’t go vote. Your vote matters. There are states I won two votes a precinct. That’s how I won that state. Your voice matters, your voice make as difference I have heard it.”
Obama used his record as President as leverage many times during his speech, asking attendees to trust his judgement and vote for Clinton. He also spoke about his legacy, appearing to get emotional about his final day of campaigning as a sitting President and thanking those who got him there.
“I’m feeling a little sentimental. This is going to be my last — probably my last day of campaigning for a while,” he said. “But not just here in Michigan. All across America I want to say thanks to the organizers of, of so many grassroots efforts. There are some organizers here who got their start on my first campaign. And they have never stopped working. Picking up phone, hitting the streets. Living, breathing the hard work of change every single day. You are the best organizers on the planet. I am so proud of you, and it is because of you that I’m here today, and it’s because of you and the work you do that we’ve got a chance to continue to make history tomorrow.”
