Senator JD Vance sharply criticized former President Barack Obama for his recent remarks about black men who are hesitant to support Vice President Kamala Harris. Obama had suggested earlier in the week that some black men might be reluctant to support Harris because they don’t want a woman in the White House.
Speaking at a rally in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Vance responded to a question about his approach to winning over voters in contrast to Obama’s comments. Vance emphasized that he prefers to persuade voters rather than lecture them.
“Support is not something I’m entitled to or something that I’m owed,” Vance said. “It’s something you have to go out and work for.”
He went on to suggest that the issue wasn’t a refusal to support Harris but rather a frustration with the political status quo.
“The better question for Barack Obama or anyone to ask is not ‘how dare you not vote for Kamala Harris.’ It’s maybe they’re thinking about voting for Donald Trump because they’re sick of being censored, sick of being told what to do, and sick of not being able to afford the American dream. Maybe that’s why we’re seeing more black voters supporting Republicans than in the past.”
Obama’s original comments came during a campaign stop in Pittsburgh, where he addressed concerns about low enthusiasm and turnout in black communities compared to when he ran for office.
“We have not yet seen the same kinds of energy and turnout in all parts of our neighborhoods as we saw when I was running,” Obama said, specifically addressing a group of black men. He went on to suggest that the reluctance to support Harris might be due to discomfort with the idea of a woman president: “Part of it makes me think… you just aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president, and you’re coming up with other reasons for that.”
Obama’s remarks have drawn significant criticism, echoing past backlash when President Biden suggested that black voters who don’t support him “ain’t black.”
