Former President Barack Obama mocked President Donald Trump for “literally doing arts and crafts” in the Oval Office as he criticized the administration over war and high prices during a campaign rally in Morrow, Georgia, on Wednesday. Obama delivered the remarks while campaigning for a pair of Democrats, U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff and gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms in the final days before Tuesday's midterm elections.
Ossoff is defending his Senate seat against Republican Representative Mike Collins, while Bottoms is running against Republican Rick Jackson for governor. During an extended attack on Trump’s priorities, Obama turned to the president’s changes to the White House and the gold decorations he has added to the Oval Office. Obama’s “arts and crafts” attack came as he revisited his mockery of Trump’s White House renovations, which sparked days of pushback from the president and his administration.
At a rally in Ohio over the weekend, Obama said that Trump had made the White House look “like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory.” Trump subsequently defended his renovations and criticized Obama, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent visited a Cheesecake Factory in Washington, D.C., and used the appearance to hit back at the former president. On Wednesday, Obama suggested the scale of the Trump administration’s reaction proved his broader point about its priorities. I am the father of two daughters,” Obama said.
That was my jam.” Obama argued that the administration had not disputed his criticism over prices or his accusations of corruption but had instead focused on his restaurant remark. That part didn’t bother him,” Obama said. He took great umbrage.” “They mobilized a whole-of-government response to that joke,” he continued.
The former president then joked about his own experience dealing with the financial crisis after taking office in 2009. I never called my Treasury secretary and said, ‘You’ve got to go to Arby’s. No cheese though, that may look elitist,’” Obama said.
I didn’t have to fire any missiles. I engaged in diplomacy.” He also accused the White House of surrendering to the demands of strongman Russian President Vladimir Putin and “selling out” Ukrainians. So let’s play back the tape,” Obama said.
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