Obama tells Democrats to push back against Trump’s ‘lawlessness and recklessness’ at Virginia and New Jersey Rallies
By Joseph Tanfani | November 1,2025
Former U.S. President Barack Obama energized Democratic supporters on Saturday as he campaigned for gubernatorial candidates Abigail Spanberger in Virginia and Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey, calling on voters to push back against what he described as the “lawlessness and recklessness” of the Trump administration.
Speaking before a packed crowd at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, Obama delivered a passionate critique of the current political climate.
“Let’s face it, our country and our politics are in a pretty dark place right now,” Obama said. “Every day, this White House gives us a fresh batch of lawlessness, recklessness, mean-spiritedness – and just plain craziness.”
He slammed Trump’s “shambolic” trade and tariff policies, the deployment of National Guard troops to U.S. cities, and criticized Republican lawmakers for turning a blind eye to the president’s behavior.
“It’s shocking how quickly some business leaders, law firms, and even universities have chosen to bend the knee,” Obama remarked.
At a later rally in Newark, New Jersey, Obama kept up his sharp tone while backing Sherrill, adding a touch of humor to his critique.
“It’s like every day is Halloween — except it’s all tricks and no treats,” he said to laughter from the crowd.
Obama also mocked Trump’s reported plans to remodel parts of the White House amid a federal shutdown.
“In fairness, he’s been busy paving over the Rose Garden and building a $300 million ballroom,” Obama quipped.
In Virginia, polls show Spanberger, a 46-year-old former CIA officer and former congresswoman, leading Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, 61, by a comfortable margin.
In New Jersey, Sherrill holds a narrow lead over Republican Jack Ciatterelli, 63, a former state assemblyman making his third run for governor. Despite Democrats’ 2-to-1 voter registration advantage in the state, Republicans have performed stronger than expected in recent elections — Ciatterelli lost by just three points in 2021, and Trump trailed Biden by only six points in 2024.
Obama’s high-energy appearances signaled a renewed Democratic push to rally voters ahead of next week’s elections — and a reminder that he remains one of the party’s most powerful voices on the campaign trail.
