Obama tells men Trump doesn't represent 'real strength'

PITTSBURGH — Rallying for Kamala Harris, former President Barack Obama spoke directly to American men and characterized Donald Trump as mendacious and self-centered, saying he doesn’t represent “real strength.”

“I’m sorry, gentlemen, I’ve noticed this especially with some men who seem to think some of Trump’s behavior — the bullying and the putting people down — is a sign of strength. And I am here to tell you: That is not what real strength is. It never has been,” Obama said, drawing heavy applause from the Democratic crowd.

“Real strength is about working hard. And carrying a heavy load without complaining. Real strength is about taking responsibility for your actions and telling the truth even when it’s inconvenient,” he said. “Real strength is about helping people who need it and standing up for those who can’t always stand up for themselves. That is what we should want for our daughters and our sons, and that is what I want to see in 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.

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Election surveys suggest a wide gender gap, showing Harris winning women by large margins while struggling with men. Some Democratic strategists worry they risk losing slices of young men, Latino men and even Black men, who have expressed openness to Trump or low enthusiasm about voting.

Obama took particular umbrage at Trump's spreading false claims about the government’s response to hurricane victims and expressed bafflement that some consider Trump to be strong.

“I want to ask Republicans out there, people who are conservative, who didn’t vote for me, didn’t agree with me,” he said. “When did that become OK? Why would we go along with that?”

He added: “Even if you had a family member who acted like that, you might still love them, but you’d tell them you got a problem. And you wouldn’t put them in charge of anything. And yet when Donald Trump lies or cheats or shows utter disregard for our Constitution, when he calls POWs losers or fellow citizens vermin, people make excuses for it. They think it’s OK.”

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

Before the rally, Obama spoke to volunteers and expressed his concerns more explicitly.

“We have not seen the same kinds of energy and turnout in all quarters of our neighborhoods and communities as we saw when I was running. Now, I also want to say that that seems to be more pronounced with the brothers,” he said, according to a pool report.

“Part of it makes me think that, well, you just aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president, and you’re coming up with other alternatives and other reasons for that,” he said. “You’re coming up with all kinds of reasons and excuses. I’ve got a problem with that.”

He called on them to “speak to people on the sidelines” and urge them not to consider “sitting out or supporting somebody who has a history of denigrating you because you think that’s a sign of strength.”

“Because that’s what being a man is? Putting women down?” Obama told them. “That’s not acceptable.”

CORRECTION (Oct. 11, 2024, 1:14 p.m. ET): A previous version of this article misquoted former President Barack Obama. He said, “And carrying a heavy load without complaining,” not, “And carrying a heavy load is about complaining.”