Calling for a “true democracy, a representative democracy,” former President Barack Obama took the opportunity of delivering the eulogy of the late civil rights icon and voting rights activist, former U.S. Congressman John Lewis, to call out President Donald Trump’s attacks on voting and voting rights. Referring to “those in power,” President Obama did not mention President Trump by name, but he described the current president’s voter suppression actions and those of his administration and of other Republicans.
“George Wallace may be gone, but we can witness our federal government sending agents to use tear gas and batons against peaceful demonstrators,” President Obama said, slamming Trump for his misuse of federal troops and SWAT teams.
He then moved to voting rights.
“We may no longer have to guess the number of jelly beans in a jar to cast a ballot, but even as we sit here, there are those in power who are doing their darndest to discourage people from voting by closing polling locations, and targeting minorities, and students with restrictive ID laws. And attacking our voting rights with surgical precision. Even undermining the postal service in the run up to an election that’s going to be dependent on mail-in ballots so people don’t get sick!”
His words earned him a standing ovation.
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