While pitchers from Houston Astros were working on a combined no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies, former President Barack Obama hit a home run in Phoenix, energizing Democrats at a Get Out the Vote Rally at Cesar Chavez High School and conveying a message of urgency to all voters in Arizona to turn out and cast ballots for nominees by November 8, 2022 that "have their back and care about and will fight for you" and against the forces of Supply Side-Election Denying Trump Republicans.
After all the statewide candidates for Arizona offices spoke, the 44th President came onto the stage and started off by saying, “Hello Phoenix. I’m Fired Up. It is good to be back in Arizona. I am here to ask you to vote for your next Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, your next Attorney General Kris Mayes, your next Governor Katie Hobbs, and my buddy Mark Kelly for the Senate. This election requires every single one of us to do our part.”
Mr. Obama, after acknowledging all the difficult times the people have been through with the Coronavirus Pandemic and the inflation resulting from COVID-19's impact, stressed to both attendees at the event and viewers watching that it was vital to turn out and vote on November 8 to save Democracy and move "big, hopeful, inclusive Arizona" forward. He emphasized that "tuning out is not an option. Mobbing and sulking is not an option. The only way to protect our Democracy is to nurture and invest in it by electing people that care about you and invest in you."
The former President also emphasized that personal freedoms (like a woman's right to choose, who can marry, or a citizen's ability to vote) is in danger because of the designs of Republican leaders, appointed judges, and current fringe candidates like the statewide Republican ones in Arizona. Mr. Obama asserted that "Women should be the ones making the decisions about their own body. The overthrow of Roe could be the beginning. Same-Sex marriage is at risk. The right to use contraception could be at risk."
He also reminded the audience that it is the Democratic leaders and candidates like Joe Biden, Katie Hobbs, Mark Kelly, Adrian Fontes, and Kris Mayes were the ones have the people's back and are the ones "who will fight for you and working people" and have "actual plans" to solve the country's problems like to lower the cost of drugs, keep oil companies in check, and create jobs.
The former President also wasted no time in attacking the Trump Republicans including Kari Lake, Blake Masters, Mark Finchem, and Abe Hamadeh, calling them out for their "increasing habit of demonizing political opponents…that creates a dangerous climate..." and their "garbage and poison" of promoting "grand theories that espouse anti" whatever minority group they can think of.
He also mocked the Republicans for their blind loyalty to Trump and their plans for the country, saying "when you press Republicans…things get real quiet except they want to gut Social Security, Medicare, and cut taxes... If there was an asteroid headed for the Earth, they would get in a room and say tax cuts for the rich.”
He also brought up that violent crime started to go up "the last seven years, when the other guy (Donald Trump) was in charge" and in many cases, conservative rural areas. He also blamed the Trump Republicans for wanting "to flood the streets with more guns and vote against federal funding for law enforcement."
Mr. Obama also called out Republicans for planning to investigate and impeach Joe Biden, saying "they want to own the libs even if it means solving nothing." He chastised Ron DeSantis, the Governor of Florida who took $1.5 million of taxpayer money to fly migrants from Texas to Massachusetts, saying "that money could have been used for after-school programs...They are not interested in solving problems...How is that going to help your families, rebuild roads, and pay your bills?"
He heaped praise on Arizona's Democratic Candidates while piling criticism on the Republican ones.
On Katie Hobbs, he said: "Katie has been protecting elections while Lake is trying to undermine them. If you elect her Governor, she is going to get up every day looking for ways to help you."
On Mark Kelly, he stated: "He knows how to work with anyone to get things done. He’s the real deal. He’s got the right stuff."
On Kris Mayes and Adrian Fontes, he said, “Kris and Adrian will protect the integrity of our elections.”
On Kari Lake, he brought up her ideas for "debunked COVID remedies," her wanting to "declare an invasion," from illegal immigrants, and election denialism. Based on Trump's television experience, he said governing "means more than just being on TV. This isn’t a reality show." He even cited Mark Brnovich's calling her election denialism "horse crap"as evidence that Lake is not worthy for office.
On Blake Masters, he said, "If you were trying to create in a lab, a wacky politician, it would look like this guy." He then outlined all the fringe Republican positions Masters supports like tax cuts for the rich, check. Privatize Social Security, check." He also made fun of Masters deleting his election denialism and anti-abortion (which he calls demonic and a religious sacrifice) positions from his website, saying how people still can check out what was there and saying, "Blake Masters does not see you. He does not hear you. He does not care about you."
On Mark Finchem, the former President said: “Come on people. That’s the guy you want in charge of your elections. A guy who was at an armed insurrection and thinks it’s okay to have armed people intimidate voters.”
In his closing remarks, Mr. Obama told the audience and viewers watching his presentation that "Democracy is on the ballot" and that it is vital that everyone turn out and vote.
Among his other comments were:
- "If that (voting) is not worth 15 minutes of your time, I don’t know what is."
- "Most GOP politicians are not even pretending that the rules apply to them. What happens when the truth doesn’t matter anymore? If your side is saying it, it’s okay."
- "They’ve nominated a whole cast of characters who have asserted that Donald Trump won the last election. That has no basis in reality."
- "Why would you want to vote for someone who is not telling the truth about something."
- “Democracy in Arizona may not survive if the Republican candidates win and that should transcend party labels.”
- “You deserve people that believe your vote counts.”
- “Now you get to make a difference...You have to vote from Navajo Nation to Nogales...Things will be okay but only if we work for it. If we fight for it...This flag stands for we are supposed to be part of one team...Better is worth fighting for...Get out there and vote."
Many of the statewide candidates that attended the rally last night (November 2, 2022) shared their thoughts on social media:
Arizona Secretary of State and Gubernatorial Nominee Katie Hobbs posted:
https://twitter.com/katiehobbs/status/1588039803265638400
Attorney General Nominee Kris Mayes posted:
https://twitter.com/krismayes/status/1587996796453720064
Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman posted:
https://twitter.com/kathyhoffman_az/status/1588182963535024128
Senator Mark Kelly posted:
https://twitter.com/CaptMarkKelly/status/1588248386917892096
Secretary of State Nominee Adrian Fontes posted.
https://twitter.com/Adrian_Fontes/status/1587993248282181632
Barack Obama is right people.
Are you going to vote for the people that have a track record of working for you, protect your freedoms, and having ideas that will lift you and your families up?
Or
Are you going to support the candidates that are unhinged from reality, have no plans to make progress for you, Arizona, and the country, and lie to you day after day?
The choice should be clear.
Turn out and vote to move the state forward and lift us all up by November 8, 2022.
Democracy and the future is on the ballot.
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