Obama tells men Trump isn't a 'real strength'

PITTSBURGH – Former President Barack Obama, campaigning for Kamala Harris, spoke directly to American men, calling Donald Trump mendacious and self-centered and saying he did not embody “real strength.”

“I'm sorry gentlemen, this has particularly struck me among some men who see some of Trump's behavior – the bullying and belittling of others – as a sign of strength. And I'm here to tell you: That's not true strength. This has never happened before,” Obama said, drawing loud applause from the Democratic crowd.

“True strength comes from working hard. And carrying a heavy load means complaining. True strength is taking responsibility for your own actions and speaking the truth, even when it is uncomfortable,” he said. “True strength comes from helping those who need it and standing up for those who can't always stand up for themselves. That’s what we should want for our daughters and sons, and that’s what I want to see from a President of the United States of America.”

Obama said Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, represent the “character” and “values” a president should have.

Exit polls suggest a wide gender gap, showing Harris winning by large margins among women while struggling among men. Some Democratic strategists fear they risk losing segments of young men, Latinos and even black men who have been open to Trump or unenthusiastic about the election.

Obama was particularly outraged that Trump spread false claims about the government's response to hurricane victims and expressed surprise that some see Trump as strong.

“I want to ask the Republicans out there, people who are conservative, who didn't vote for me, didn't agree with me,” he said. “When did this become okay? Why should we go along with this?”

He added: “Even if you had a family member who behaved like that, you might still love them, but you would tell them you have a problem. And you wouldn't put them in charge of anything. And yet, when Donald Trump lies or cheats or completely disrespects our Constitution, when he calls prisoners of war losers or fellow citizens vermin, people find excuses. They think it’s fine.”

Obama is particularly focused on reaching out to African-American men in the final weeks before the election, a source familiar with his thinking said. “They are definitely a target audience for him for the next 26 days.”

Before the rally, Obama spoke to volunteers and made his concerns more explicit.

“We have not seen the same kind of energy and turnout in all areas of our neighborhoods and communities as we did when I ran. Now I would also like to say that this seems to be more pronounced with the brothers,” he said, according to a pool report.

“Part of it makes me think that you just don't feel comfortable with having a woman as president and that you're coming up with other alternatives and other reasons for it,” he said. “They come up with all sorts of reasons and excuses. I have a problem with that.”

He urged them to “talk to people who are on the sidelines” and urged them not to think about “sitting out or supporting someone who has denigrated you in the past because you see that as a sign of strength.” .”

“Because that’s what it means to be a man?” Put women down?” Obama told them. “This is not acceptable.”