President Donald Trump’s use of “kung flu” in reference to COVID-19 has reportedly earned the ire of former President Barack Obama.
The details: Obama is said to be drawn into the political limelight again as he responded to Trump’s continued use of racial rhetoric in speeches and statements.
- On June 20, during a campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Trump expressed different ways to label COVID-19.
- “It has more names than any disease in history. I can name kung flu. I can name 19 different versions of names,” he said.
- Obama expressed his frustration and anger about the use of the terms “kung flu” and “China virus” to refer to COVID-19 during the invitation-only Zoom fundraiser last Thursday.
- “I don’t want a country in which the president of the United States is actively trying to promote anti-Asian sentiment and thinks it’s funny. I don’t want that. That still shocks and pisses me off,” Obama was quoted by the New York Times as saying.
- Trump had earlier angered the Asian community over the phrase and other racial slurs he used to describe the pandemic.
- Trump has also been criticized for his administration’s botched pandemic response.
In support of Biden: Obama is now helping Biden in the upcoming elections.
- The Obama campaign aides have been trying to strike a balance with his retirement and support for Biden’s campaign, as reported by the New York Times.
- “I don’t think he is hesitant. I think he is strategic,” top Obama adviser Dan Pfeiffer said. “He has always been strategic about using his voice; it’s his most valuable commodity.”
- Obama is reportedly speaking with Biden and his top campaign aides on a regular basis.
- Obama’s advice to Biden includes keeping speeches brief, interviews succinct and all tweets short.
- “Better to make the campaign a referendum on Mr. Trump and the economy,” Democratic officials say.
- Trump, who blamed Obama for unspecified crimes last month, has accused the former president of treason during a CBN News interview last week.
- The president would not state what the crimes were until an interview early last week, where he accused Obama of spying on his campaign.
Feature Image (left) via Yahoo Finance, (right) The Obama White House
