Former US President Barack Obama has lashed out at current White House tenant Donald Trump for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, and has highlighted that “more than 225,000 Americans have died” due to the disease.
“Think about that,” Obama urged during an event held in Florida to support the candidacy of former Vice President Joe Biden for the US Presidency. “More than 100,000 small businesses have closed. Half a million jobs have been lost in Florida alone,” he continued.
Obama has made Trump ugly for using the argument that public attention is focused on COVID-19. “COVID, COVID, COVID, complains,” said the former president, arguing that the president is “jealous” for the media coverage of the pandemic.
“If it had been focused on COVID-19 from the beginning, the cases would not have reached new records across the country this week,” he added.
Although the traditional thing is that former presidents avoid attacking their successor in the White House, Obama has also condemned that Trump has not implemented preventive measures for COVID-19 in the North American nation or in the White House, residence and main workplace of the American leaders.
“I’ve lived in the White House for a while,” he said. “It is a controlled environment. Some preventive measures can be taken in the White House to avoid getting sick. Except this guy can’t seem to do it,” he added, lamenting that the building has become “a hot zone.”
Trump has responded to Obama’s words through his Twitter account, where he has assured that the former president’s speech is “false.”
It is the second time in four days that Obama, a very important supporter of the Democratic candidate, holds a rally in Florida, a state that can play a decisive role in the outcome of the elections, which will be held next Tuesday.
The latest polls show a narrow race between the two candidates and, with Obama, Democrats hope to attract the African American and Latino vote. “Don’t wait (to vote),” the former US president has asked. “Don’t risk it, just do it,” he reiterated during the rally, according to CNN television.
