It felt like a breath of fresh air and an injection of hope to hear President Obama's remarks in Miami, FL yesterday when he was on the campaign trail for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
No one is a better campaigner or speaker than our current president (unless you include his wife, Michelle.) Listening to him was a welcome contrast to the bluster and nastiness of the Republican nominee.
President Obama's style is so smooth that he delivered biting indictments that mocked the GOP candidate without ever sounding mean or vile. He brought up real things that this man whom he calls unfit for office actually has said that have been divisive and hateful. The President said that this is not "Survivor" or "The Bachelorette" but it's reality, not reality TV. He should know because he has honorably occupied the oval office for the last eight years.
The POTUS also touted his economic accomplishments of rising wages, lower poverty rates, 20 million more on health care, 15 million new jobs, lower gas prices, energy independence, climate change initiatives and pacts, same-sex marriage and his foreign policy of getting bin Laden and having ISIS on the run.
He also sang the praises of his former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, whom he has called the most qualified candidate to ever run for office. He observed that as a woman she does not always get the credit she deserves. He said she has made him a better president.
But the most impact this speech had on me was when he spoke about the GOP congress and how they purposely blocked almost everything he attempted to do for the country for the last eight years. He said he even introduced Republican plans but they said no because they came from him. Then he said, "Come on!"
He said even after the GOP got control of congress in 2014, they still couldn't pass their own bills. He said the gridlock in congress is not coming from both parties. It's coming from one: the party of no. I said "Hallelujah! Preach it, brother."
I think what made this so inspiring to hear is that he spoke TRUTH, something sorely lacking from the GOP presidential candidate who lies 70% of the time.
President Obama also repeated a famous slogan of his 2008 campaign saying: "It is not Yes, I can. It is Yes, WE Can" referring to the Republican nominee's mantra of "I alone can fix it."
I can't think of a better surrogate for Hillary Clinton than President Obama, who now has a 57% approval rating. My hope is that his stumping for the best candidate whom he wants to carry on his work and legacy will inspire the masses and his speaking of Truth to Power will help elect our first woman president. The progress and future of our country and the world depends on it.