‘Our Job Now Is To…’: Obama’s Message To Dems After Trump Suffers Midterms Rout

[0:00] This election can be a start, because if we're willing to turn out in big numbers across this state, across this country, [0:10] if we're willing to vote for change up and down the ballot, [0:14] then this election might just mark the moment when we begin to leave our worst impulses behind [0:21] and start aligning our politics with our highest ideas. [0:58] Tonight, the American people sent a clear message. [1:01] They want a politics that brings people together rather than divides them, [1:07] and leaders who offer concrete solutions to the challenges they face. [1:12] These results were only possible because outstanding candidates stepped forward in every region of the country, [1:19] including in areas once considered long shots. [1:24] They came from different backgrounds and represented a range of political perspectives, [1:29] but were united by shared values, a belief in public service, [1:34] and a commitment to putting the people of their districts and states first. [1:40] We also owe a debt of gratitude to the thousands of election officials and volunteers from both parties [1:47] who helped ensure a smooth election, and carried out one of the most essential functions of our democracy. [1:54] While this administration has another two years in office, [1:58] our job now is to roll up our sleeves, make changes wherever we have the power to do so, [2:04] prevent further damage, and lay the groundwork for the future. [2:08] Almost, and I do say almost, I almost feel bad for the Republican opponents. [2:27] Almost, and here's why. [2:31] Because after spending the last couple of years signing, singing this president's praises, [2:39] doing anything he has, saying how he might be the best president ever, [2:46] now they're realizing that everybody's pretty upset about his broken promises. [2:53] So, so what do they do? [2:56] Well, they're, they're, they're doing what they always do, [3:00] which is running all kinds of scary ads to make you think Democrats are radical and communists, [3:06] and that the woke police are going to ban hamburgers and make everybody eat tofu, [3:10] and Republicans even have a tagline, I guess, from, for this midterms. [3:19] I don't know if you've heard it. [3:20] They're, they're saying, uh, Democrats, they're for crazy. [3:24] We're for common sense. [3:25] Now, let's, let's think about this. [3:28] Let's talk about how they define crazy and common sense. [3:32] Let's have a discussion about that. [3:34] Because I, I don't think it's a common sense to pass a trillion dollar tax cut for millionaires and billionaires, [3:40] paid for with higher health care costs, and kicking people off to Medicaid. [3:45] I, I don't think it's common sense to launch a war in Iran that everybody told them was going to drive up inflation. [3:52] That, that's not the kind of common sense Georgia needs. [3:56] And, and if you want to talk about crazy, let's, let's take a look at what Mike Collins has been up to. [4:03] Not only did this guy vote with Donald Trump 100% of the time on Iran, on tariffs, on everything else, [4:10] he also happens to be under federal investigation by the House Ethics Committee. [4:16] And that's for reasons that are entirely separate from what has been called his summer of scandal after it came to light how cozy he was with white nationalists. [4:30] And, that's crazy. [4:35] And there's only one common sense choice in this race. [4:38] And that is John Ossoff. [4:40] And it's not just because he's so put together. [4:50] It's not because it looks like a Kennedy all handsome in the videos. [4:55] It's because he learned from his mental and my mental, one of the greats, John Lewis, [5:06] what it means to stir up some good trouble. [5:12] That's what he's been doing on your behalf. [5:15] He exposed the abuse of Georgia's foster kids. [5:18] Passed the law forcing tech companies to crack down on child predators. [5:22] Took on the drug companies. [5:25] Capped the price of insulin for seniors. [5:27] And when you send him back to the Senate, he's going to fight to ban health insurance companies from denying coverage that patients need. [5:35] And he's going to repeal the tariffs that have sent prices of groceries soaring. [5:42] He knows we never should have started this unnecessary war in Iran. [5:47] And he will fight to end it. [5:49] And he is going to fight for stronger voting rights protections to make sure that every single citizen has a vote. [5:59] And every vote is counted here in Georgia and across the United States of America. [6:13] And John will fight for you. [6:15] And Keisha Lance Bottoms will fight for you. [6:19] Because Keisha's a committed public servant. [6:26] She's in it for the right reasons. [6:29] A smart leader with plans to build a better Georgia. [6:35] I have seen how much she cares about people. [6:38] How deeply she understands the pain people are feeling now. [6:43] I know she will fight for you every day as governor. [6:47] Because that's what she did when she was mayor. [6:50] Gay police officers and firefighters. [6:52] A historic pay raise. [6:54] Balanced the budget every single year of her term without raising taxes. [6:59] And his governor shall fight to make life more affordable for Georgians. [7:33] And his governor shall fight to make life more affordable for the firms that are buying up property and jacking up the cost of homes and rents. [7:49] That's what Keisha will do. [7:50] Now, there's her billionaire Republican opponent, Rick Jackson. [7:56] Do not vote. [7:58] Vote. [8:02] A guy who apparently calls gas stations gas stores. [8:07] I don't know where he got that. [8:09] You can always tell the politician's really in touch with working folk when he calls a gas station a gas store. [8:20] Now, get this. [8:21] This guy says he wants to be this president, who's currently in the White House. [8:27] He says he wants to be that guy's favorite governor. [8:32] He says he cannot think of a single White House policy that he disagrees with. [8:37] Not one. [8:38] Really? [8:39] Not one. [8:40] Can't think of anything that he thinks this president should do differently. [8:49] Not the ones that are making everything more expensive for people here in Georgia. [8:53] He doesn't want to do something different than that. [8:58] Not any of the policies that have made it harder for you to get by. [9:06] That's crazy. [9:08] Georgia doesn't need that kind of crazy. [9:11] Vote for Keisha. [9:12] And she's going to make sure every single day you are the top priority, not somebody in Washington. [9:18] The people of Georgia right here, that's what she's focused on. [9:28] All right, now, Keisha. [9:37] All right, listen. [9:40] These are unsettling times. [9:45] These are difficult times. [9:49] The economy is changing fast. [9:51] AI is here, and we're going to have to have regulations in place that make sure its benefits [10:00] flow to everyone, not just a few billionaires. [10:04] We need to revamp our education system for the new era that AI is ushering in. [10:11] We need to build millions of homes across this country so a new generation, young families [10:21] that are coming up, can afford to buy homes just like their grandparents could and their [10:26] parents could. [10:29] We need to rein in the cost of child care so those same young families can afford it. [10:35] We've got to make sure that nobody has to worry about high health care premiums. [10:41] We have a lot of work to do. [10:43] And I understand people's frustrations. [10:47] Look, I get the anger. [10:49] I get the cynicism because the system's not working the way it's supposed to, partly because [10:56] of gerrymandering, partly because of laws like Citizens United that allow rich and powerful [11:06] people to try and buy and sell elections like never before, hundreds of millions of dollars [11:11] just pouring into elections, partly because we've got a Republican Party now that it used [11:21] to stand for smaller government and now seems to stand for corrupt government or inept government [11:27] or no government whatsoever. [11:33] And if we're honest, partly because too often, even among well-intentioned folks, including [11:40] some Democrats, there are times where we get so caught up in process and bureaucracy, we [11:48] don't deliver fast enough. [11:51] And people get frustrated because they look around and say, well, nothing's changed. [11:56] I'm still struggling. [12:01] And that's why we need serious people in Washington and state capitals. [12:06] These are serious times. [12:09] And we seem to constantly just tolerate unseriousness. [12:22] The people who are currently in charge, they're not doing their homework. [12:25] They're not, they're not doing their work, they're not presenting realistic plans. [12:33] These are people who are more interested in performance and flexing and texting and putting [12:42] people down rather than lifting them up. [12:46] They enjoy insulting and dividing instead of bringing people together to solve problems. [12:58] And look, I know we're in Atlanta and I want y'all to know, Michelle has love for the [13:07] real housewives, but we got to keep reality TV on Bravo, leave it to the professionals. [13:15] We don't need it in the White House. [13:17] We don't need it in the governor's mansion. [13:19] We need people like John and Keisha in there. [13:24] And when you find someone like them who genuinely care about people, when you find public service [13:37] with a strong track record and who are offering real detailed solutions, people who believe [13:46] public service means serving the public, then we've got to realize how precious that is. [13:54] And we've got to deliver for them so they can deliver for us. [13:59] We've got to make sure we elect them governor and reelect them senator of this great state [14:06] of Georgia because they understand this election is not about them. [14:16] It's about you. [14:17] It's about we. [14:18] It's about us.