On Tuesday (Oct. 6), Joe Biden’s campaign shared Michelle Obama’s “Closing Argument,” which further endorsed the Democratic nominee and condemned Donald Trump’s reelection bid. In her 24-minute video, Obama encouraged voter registration and criticized Trump’s response to COVID-19, which he tested positive for last week.
“Let’s be honest. Right now, our country is in chaos because of a president who isn’t up to the job,” the former First Lady began. “If we want to regain any kind of stability, we’ve got to ensure that every eligible voter is informed and engaged in this election — because the stakes are on display every day.”
Obama slammed Trump for “his constant downplaying of the importance of masks” and pressure to reopen schools “without a clear plan” amidst Coronavirus. As he was released from the hospital after recovering from his own bout with the virus on Monday (Oct. 5), Trump advised his Twitter followers to not be “afraid” of the disease.
Obama also accused Trump and his campaign of spreading misinformation about Black Lives Matter demonstrations that have popped up across the country in response to police brutality.
“They’re stoking fears about black and brown Americans; lying about how minorities will destroy the suburbs; whipping up violence and intimidation… and they’re pinning it all on what’s been an overwhelmingly peaceful movement for racial solidarity,” she said. “What the president is doing is — once again — patently false; it’s morally wrong and, yes, it is racist. But that doesn’t mean it won’t work.”
When speaking about Joe Biden, Obama described the former vice president as “a good man who understands the struggles of everyday folks.”
“He’ll work to restore trust between police and communities of color and address the racial discrimination that has plagued us for far too long,” she added. Obama also said Biden’s administration would include mandatory mask-wearing measures and free testing in response to the Coronavirus and that he will address issues “this president has ignored or made worse these past four years.”
Watch Obama’s “Closing Argument” in full below.