Barack Obama has said Donald Trump is “incapable of taking the job seriously” as he took aim at his successor during a drive-in campaign rally for the Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden.
With less than a fortnight to go until ballots close, Mr Obama made his first in-person campaign stop for his former vice president.
Speaking to a drive-in rally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – a key state for both Republicans and Democrats – the former commander-in-chief spent much of his time criticising his successor in the Oval Office.
He said: “Donald Trump isn’t suddenly going to protect all of us.
“He can’t even take the basic steps to protect himself.”
The former president added: “America is a good and decent place, but we’ve just seen so much nonsense and noise that sometimes it’s hard to remember.”
He also said that President Trump was “incapable of taking the job seriously” and that he “wants full credit for the economy he inherited and no blame for the pandemic he ignored”.
Barack Obama was speaking at a drive-in rally for Joe Biden
Speaking at a rally in North Carolina, the current US leader criticised Mr Obama for his support of Hillary Clinton in 2016.
He said: “It was nobody who campaigned harder for Crooked Hillary than Obama, right?”
North Carolina is another battleground state that both Mr Trump and Mr Biden are fighting hard to win.
Mr Obama criticised his successor for much of the rally in Pennsylvania
The incumbent argued on Wednesday that Democrats and the media were obsessed with the coronavirus pandemic.
He said: “All you hear is COVID, COVID.
“That’s all they put on because they want to scare the hell out of everyone.”
Back in Philadelphia, Barack Obama encouraged people to get out and vote.
“I’m asking you to remember what this country can be,” he said. “I’m asking you to believe in Joe’s ability and Kamala’s ability to lead this country out of these dark times and help us build it back better.”
He went on: “What we do these next 13 days will matter for decades to come.
“The fact that we don’t get 100% of what we want right away is not a good reason not to vote.”
Speaking to the honking horns of support at the drive-in rally, the former president said: “We’ve got to vote like never before and leave no doubt.”