President Obama implored Americans to reject cynicism and elect Hillary Clinton during a campaign stop for his former secretary of state in Columbus, Ohio, Tuesday evening.
“If you believe in this country, then you can’t be cynical about it,” Obama said. “You have a chance to reject divisiveness, you have a chance to reject mean-spiritedness in our politics,” he said. “You can choose progress.”
Obama said Clinton is only human and that her mistakes do not disqualify her from succeeding him in the White House.
Clinton “has made mistakes, of course, but so have I,” Obama said. “But she is a fundamentally good and decent person.”
Obama also said the negativity of this year’s campaign is not good for the country.
“Systematic attacks wears on people’s attitudes,” he lamented.
“If these last eight years have taught you anything, it’s that change is possible,” he said.
Obama said that if Americans want gridlock and cynicism, they should vote Republican.
“If you think a vote for gridlock is a good thing, then vote Republican,” he said.
If voters want a president and lawmakers who believe in science, higher minimum wages and immigration reform, they need to vote Democratic, he said.
If the public wants politicians “who see immigrants as more than criminals and rapists,” a straight Democratic ticket is the only way to go, he said.
“You can elect America’s first female president,” Obama said, asking voters to again make history. “So don’t let this chance slip away. Don’t give away your power.”
