Former President Barack Obama on Thursday called Republican candidate Herschel Walker a ridiculously unserious candidate unfit to represent Georgia on Capitol Hill.
This is his second visit to Atlanta during the campaign – he previously played for Warnock until November 11. Election No. 8 — Just days before the runoff, Obama doubled down on his past criticisms and added some new twists.
For those who have forgotten his past remarks, Obama said Walker’s lack of credentials was further demonstrated “every time he spoke.”
The former president’s visit comes just days before a condensed campaign ends in just four weeks, compared to the state’s previously mandated nine weeks before the passage of a controversial 2021 ballot law. Obama urged viewers not to be complacent or to praise the Democrats for their character, satirizing Walker’s various controversial and bizarre campaign remarks.
Obama’s presence also marked a stark difference between the two campaigns.
While Democrats were able to call on Obama, a hugely popular figure in the party, to energize voters, former President Donald Trump, the nation’s most popular Republican, stayed away for fear of alienating swing voters. (Democrats are also careful in choosing their surrogates, though: President Joe Biden is not present in Georgia.)
“Mr. Walker has been talking about issues that are very important to the people of Georgia, like whether it’s better to be a vampire or a werewolf,” Obama joked. “It’s a debate, and I have to admit, I used to have myself… when I was seven years old.”
During a rally a few weeks ago, Walker made a puzzling sidebar when the Republican recounted a movie he had recently seen that he said was called “Fright Night, Freak Night, or some type of night”.
“I don’t know if you know, vampires are some pretty cool people, aren’t they? But let me tell you something I found out: Werewolves can kill vampires. Did you know that? I never knew,” Walker said, then Added: “So I don’t want to be a vampire anymore. I want to be a werewolf.”
Obama is clearly already familiar with the video, which Warnock partially replayed in recent campaign ads.
“In case you were wondering, Mr. Walker decided he wanted to be a werewolf. That’s great. As far as I’m concerned, he could be anyone he wanted to be. Except a U.S. senator,” Obama said, before continuing Tell the story of Walker’s past claims to have Obama beat him at a basketball game only to later admit the two never met.
In a less ostentatious part of his speech, Obama dismissed any suggestion that Georgia’s Senate race had diminished in importance after Democrats won a Senate majority last month.
“An extra senator gives the Democrats more breathing room on important bills. Prevents one man from holding it all up. It also puts us in a better position a few years from now when you’re going to have another election and the Senate’s The map will tilt toward the Republicans. That will help prevent Republicans from gaining the filibuster majority that would allow them to do things like pass a federal abortion ban.”