2024 Presidential Election Update: Donald Trump and Kamala Harris Hold Rallies as 42 Million Americans Vote Early

Former President Barack Obama appeared on a Zoom call with the group Win With Black Men on Sunday.

The group, which raised $1.3 million in four hours for a grassroots platform on behalf of the Harris campaign, warned of the dangers of being apathetic like black men and the importance of staying involved in politics.

“Donald Trump has demonstrated utter disrespect and disregard for our communities, and especially black men, throughout his career,” Obama said.

Based on former first lady Michelle Obama Harris’ campaign speech on Saturday, Obama expressed disbelief that the race is neck and neck.

“As my wife said yesterday, some of you, I’m sure, heard her speak in Kalamazoo. It shouldn’t be that close because the candidates are not comparable. On the one hand, you have Donald Trump, someone who, as President of the United States, has shown contempt for huge parts of the country that have not demonstrated the ability to advance laws that actually helped ordinary people,” Obama said.

“And on the other hand, you have Kamala Harris, who has proven herself at every turn to be a champion of ordinary people, who works to give a voice to people who need it,” Obama continued.

“Someone who has demonstrated consistent excellence at every level, from District Attorney to California Attorney General to U.S. Senator and now Vice President, she is as qualified as any presidential candidate we have ever seen and her message is directly focused on the challenges that we face as black men and that our communities face and that America faces,” Obama said of Harris.

Obama also dismissed the notion that Trump is worth voting for because of the stimulus checks sent out during the pandemic.

“Well, during the pandemic, Trump sent us a check. You know what? First of all, it was Congress, the Democrats and Republicans sent you a check, just like Joe Biden, working with Congress, sent you a check during the pandemic. emergency relief, just like I sent emergency relief to people during the Great Recession when I first took office – the difference is that Joe Biden and I did not put our names on the check,” Obama said.

“So don’t think that because you got a check from Donald Trump, quote, unquote, during a pandemic, that somehow that’s something special and that justifies you giving him your vote,” he said. Obama.

– ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim