Trump vs Obama | The unprecedented confrontation between the president of the United States and his predecessor
Former President Barack Obama is no longer holding his tongue when talking about Trump. And the current president was quick to respond to his harsh criticism.
Both US leaders staged an "unprecedented" confrontation on Wednesday, proof of the growing tension and tension in the country ahead of the presidential elections on November 3.
Trump "has no interest in treating the presidency as anything other than a reality show," Obama said in his solemn live address at the Democratic National Convention, which on Thursday will confirm former Vice President Joe Biden, a former fellow president, as presidential candidate. of Obama's formula between 2008 and 2016.
Trump responded even before Obama's full speech was delivered, when the Democratic campaign previewed parts of the prominent politician's speech.
Obama and Biden, the current president replied, "did such a bad job that today I am here in front of you as president."
Obama's statements were one of the highlights of the third day of the Democratic Convention and led to the official presentation of the Democratic vice presidential candidate, Kamala Harris.
What did Obama say?
In general, Obama had avoided criticizing the Trump administration by name directly, but that changed in recent weeks and tonight he launched his strongest attack to date with a tough and solemn speech.
"I never expected that my successor would embrace my vision or follow my policies. I did hope, for the good of our country, that Donald Trump would show any interest in taking the job seriously, that he would feel the weight of the position and discover a certain respect for the democracy that had been placed in his care. "
"But he never did," Obama lamented from Philadelphia, a symbolic place where the US Constitution was written.
Trump "has shown no interest in the job; no interest in reaching a common understanding; no interest in using the immense power of his position to help someone other than himself or his friends; no interest in treating the presidency as something other than a reality show to attract the attention it craves, "the former president emphasized.
According to Obama, the current president "has not learned to do the job because he cannot."
"And the consequences of its failure are serious. 170,000 Americans killed. Millions of jobs destroyed," he said in reference to the tragedy caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in the United States.
With the symbol of the Constitution behind him, the former president warned Americans that the freedoms and values of the United States are at risk; even the country's own democracy.
"Do not let them take away your power. Do not let them take away your democracy," he warned.
In general, former US presidents tend to be relatively silent about the management of their successors. At least in public.
However, the 44th president of the United States has increasingly raised his voice on Trump as he watched him dismantle what he sees as his legacy.
The former president called on Americans to vote for his "friend" Joe Biden and his running mate, Kamala Harris.
"For eight years, Joe was the last to leave the room every time I was faced with an important decision. He made me a better president. He has the character and the experience to make us a better country," he said.
And what did Trump answer?
The current president responded to Obama's attacks from the White House, assuring that it was Obama himself and Biden who led him there.
"Obama and Biden did such a bad job that today I am here in front of you, as president"
Donald trump
United States's president
"They did such a bad job that today I am here in front of you, as president," said Trump, asked about excerpts from Obama's speech that had already been released.
The president described his predecessor as an "ineffective, terrible" president, who made "stupid transactions" and left the country in a "horror".
According to Trump, if Obama and Biden had done a good job, he would never have run for president in 2016.
"I would have been very happy. I really enjoyed my old life," he said.
While his predecessor gave his speech live, the president continued his criticism, this time on Twitter.
"HE SPIED MY CAMPAIGN, AND THEY GOT HUNTED!" Trump wrote on the social network, repeating an accusation against Democrats that the FBI refuted in a detailed report.
For more than three years, Trump has treated the 2016 election, which he won with a tight result, as a message of repudiation of his predecessor and has ruled accordingly, explains BBC journalist specializing in American politics Anthony Zurcher.
"That has been a risky premise, given that polls indicate that Obama is currently one of the most popular political figures in the country, while Trump has been negative for much of his presidency."
The confrontation on Wednesday suggests, according to Zurcher, that the November elections between Trump and Biden will not be based only on the choice between one or the other candidate.
"It will also be a choice between two legacies: Obama's and Trump's. And both the current president and his predecessor are acting accordingly."
