Obama accuses Republicans of threatening democracy

Barack Obama on Saturday accused Republicans of threatening democracy ahead of a particularly close local election, seen as a national test of Joe Biden's popularity as he fiercely negotiates a massive investment plan with Congress.

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The former president had traveled to Richmond, in the conservative south of the state, to support Democrat Terry McAuliffe, 64, a candidate for governor of Virginia and who is neck and neck with the pro Republican -Trump Glenn Youngkin, 54, ahead of the Nov. 2 poll.

In front of a few hundred enthusiastic young activists, gathered at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, he said Glenn Yougkin would cut teaching posts, reduce access to abortion and support the claims. of Donald Trump who claims that the presidential election was stolen from him.

“To my knowledge, the main message from Terry's opponent is that he's a guy like everyone else because he wears fleece.

And he accuses the schools of brainwashing our children, ”

he said.

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Joe Biden won Virginia 10 points clear in 2020 and Republicans haven't won an election in that state since 2009, but Terry McAuliffe's lead in the polls has melted over the weeks, and she now reaches the margin of error.

Barack Obama, who remains the most popular Democrat in the United States five years after leaving the White House, wanted to galvanize African-American voters, a key electorate in this southern state, particularly in the region of Richmond where one of the most important symbols of the country's slavery past, the statue of Confederate General Robert Lee, was only unbolted last month.

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Trump's "Puppet"

Recognizing to understand why one can be

of politics, he recalled having met during his first presidential campaign which brought him to the White House in 2008 an African-American voter of 106 years who had mobilized for him. .

he added.

"If John Lewis

(figure of the fight for civil rights who died in 2020, editor's note)

he hammered under applause.

“I'm here in Virginia because I think Virginia will ultimately make the right choice,”

he continued.

.

Prior to Barack Obama, First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and one of the Democratic Party's rising stars, Stacey Abrams, traveled to Virginia to campaign for Terry McAuliffe.

The American president himself is expected there next week.

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A Terry McAuliffe victory would give momentum to the massive investment program that the Democratic Party's left wing seeks to push through in Congress.

Failure could prompt more caution from the moderate wing of the party, which is still reluctant to approve some $ 3 trillion in spending.

Glenn Youngkin focused on schools, campaigning against the mandatory mask hated by Donald Trump voters.

So far, he has carefully avoided supporting the former president's claims that the election was stolen from him.

Donald Trump did not visit Virginia.

He virtually joined on October 13 a pro-Youngkin campaign rally attended by his former advisor Steve Bannon.

Terry McAuliffe, who took the microphone before Barack Obama, has promised to work with

Republicans

to improve the situation in Virginia.

“I will work with you but let me tell you one thing today: Glenn Youngkin is not a reasonable Republican.

For me, it's Donald Trump in beige pants

, ”he said.

.