Barack Obama kicks off national ‘get out the vote’ tour at Pitt

When former President Barack Obama spoke at Pitt on Thursday, his prevailing message was clear. 

“Do not just hope for the best. Get off your couch and vote,” Obama said in his closing remarks. 

Obama spoke on Thursday evening at the Fitzgerald Field House in an effort to energize Pittsburgh voters in final stretch of Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign. His speech, the first in a national “Get Out the Vote” tour in swing states, criticized former president Donald Trump’s integrity and emphasized Harris’s plan to build up the American middle class.

Pennsylvania is a key battleground state in the presidential race, having more electoral votes than any other swing state and the highest chance of tipping the election. Eight million young people nationwide have become eligible to vote since 2020, and according to NextGen America, 616,281 of those potential voters are college students in Pennsylvania.

With four weeks left before the presidential election, polls show Harris and Trump are even in Pennsylvania, with all measurements being within the margin of error. “Early voting” has begun in Allegheny County, and the last day to request a mail-in ballot is Oct. 29. 

Shakeyla Paillept, a local educator and Pennsylvania native who was an introductory speaker at the event, underlined Pittsburgh’s role in the upcoming election. 

“If anyone is wondering if their vote matters, if their voice matters, let me be clear — they absolutely do,” Paillept said. 

Mary Boyd, a junior board member for Pitt College Democrats, said Obama’s visit made her feel “very hopeful and energetic” about the upcoming election. 

“Hearing Obama speak in person was even better than I imagined,” Boyd, who is double majoring in Law, Criminal Justice, and Society and Political Science, said. “Obama made us think about what we want our future to look like in his speech tonight, which is something that I think will resonate with young people.”

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania Austin Davis, Governor Josh Shapiro and Senator Bob Casey were among the speakers who accompanied Obama at the rally. 

Obama opened on a lighthearted note, giving a nod to Pamela’s Diner and the Pittsburgh Steelers at the opening of his speech, before moving on to voice a tribute to those who were affected by Hurricane Milton, saying “it’s times like this when you realize that having honest, competent leadership in government really matters.”

In the wake of severe and widespread damage from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, Obama compared the responses of Trump and Harris, saying that while President Biden and Harris were visiting the areas in catastrophe and offered federal assistance for those who were impacted by the storms, Trump was spreading disinformation during his rallies in the following days. 

“[He] is trying to deceive people in their most desperate and vulnerable moments,” Obama said. “When did that become okay?”

Obama went on to criticize Trump’s “integrity,” arguing that Trump is running for office in his own self-interest, referencing his behavior during the Jan. 6 insurrection, his disrespect toward American veterans and his proposed “Trump tax,” which, according to the Harris campaign, is projected to increase tax costs for lower- and middle class Americans. 

“Donald Trump spent his entire presidency trying to tear [the Affordable Care Act] down, and he couldn’t even do that right,” Obama said. 

He also attacked Trump’s proposed plan for his presidency, arguing Trump does not have a plan that will benefit the American middle class. He claimed Harris will lower the cost of childcare, housing and groceries in Pennsylvania, saying “Kamala is as prepared for the job as any presidential nominee has ever been.”

Obama shared his attitude toward reproductive rights, an issue which drew a lot of noise from the people in attendance. Trump, he said, supported punishing women and doctors for having and performing abortions during his presidential campaign in 2016. 

“I’ve always said there are good people of conscience on both sides of the abortion divide,” Obama said. “But if we believe in freedom then we should at least agree that such a deeply personal decision should be made by the woman whose body is involved and not by politicians.”

Obama also acknowledged Senator Bob Casey, who is running for reelection to his fourth term this election cycle. 

“No one is more humble, more honest and more rooted in his community and has more integrity than Bob Casey,” Obama said. 

In speaking to the Pennsylvanians who attended the event, Obama reflected on the ways in which the national political climate has changed since he ran for president in 2008, calling it “one of the most disturbing aspects of this election season.” 

“This election isn’t just about policies. It’s about values. It’s about who we are and how we treat one another,” Obama said.