Obama slams GOP candidates’ anti-immigrant rhetoric …
Story highlights
President Barack Obama was ostensibly returning to the site of the first-in-the-nation caucuses to promote his higher education agenda. But during his short stop here, the undercurrent of the state's full-swing campaign season was unavoidable -- even as Obama himself said he couldn't keep track of all the candidates.
Asked during a town hall which presidential candidate was selling the best plan for making college more affordable, Obama demurred, claiming he wasn't yet ready to wade into sticky presidential politics. But he said he wouldn't say silent on the race forever.
"I can't tell you who to vote for, at least just not right now," he said. "Later I will."
Without naming any of the Republicans vying for the GOP nomination, Obama made clear he disagreed with many of their plans to fund higher education, saying the resources behind their proposals weren't sufficient.
And while he said he wasn't endorsing a candidate, he did chasten Republicans who he said were fueling an "anti-immigrant sentiment" in the political discourse.
Such rhetoric "is contrary to who we are," he said. "Unless you are a Native American, your family came from someplace else."
Obama wasn't the only high-profile Democrat in Iowa on Monday: Hillary Clinton, his former secretary of state, was 125 miles away in Cedar Falls.
They didn't cross paths, and even when questioned by a student who identified herself as an intern on Clinton's campaign, Obama didn't take the opportunity to praise her policy positions or record.
He also avoided weighing in on a proposal by Clinton's main rival, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, to make all public college tuition free.
His reluctance to step into the Democratic nominating contest can be explained by the undecided Vice President Joe Biden, who hasn't yet said whether he's running for president. Obama may endorse a candidate in the Democratic primary, the White House has said.
In his town hall Monday, Obama at times waxed nostalgic about the state that helped launch his improbable bid for the 2008 Democratic nomination, saying as he landed at the Des Moines airport the number of hotel points gleaned from long-term stays at a nearby Hampton Inn could qualify him for a least a few free nights.
In recent days, Obama has lambasted Republicans running for their party's nomination on topics like the economy and climate change, saying they'd take the country in the wrong direction if elected to the White House.
He's eager to remain relevant in the current political conversation, even as the race to replace him consumes more and more of the spotlight. And while he wasn't stumping for any particular candidate in Des Moines, his message on making college more affordable fit squarely within the Democratic messaging that candidates like Sanders and Clinton have been extolling.
"A society's values are reflected in where we put out time, our effort and our money. It's not sufficient for us to just say we care about education," he said, arguing that federal resources were needed to increase graduation rates and improve the quality of teaching.
The White House claims the decision to travel to Iowa wasn't made with political motivations; instead, they say the Department of Education put a pin on the state while planning the back-to-school bus tour the Education Secretary Arne Duncan embarks upon yearly.
But there are plenty of places Obama could have traveled to to underscore his administration's efforts in reducing student debt. On Monday, he announced that students applying for federal financial aid will be able to submit the required form -- the FAFSA -- in October, rather than later in January. He also said his administration had worked to simplify the form so it only takes twenty minutes to complete.
Obama's trip Monday won't be the only time this week the White House lands in a hub of presidential politics.
Biden plans to travel to Southern California on Wednesday to promote the administration's climate change agenda -- just as the Republican presidential candidates convene up the road for their second debate, hosted by CNN, at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley.
Like Obama, Biden hasn't been shy in blasting Republicans for doing little to curb carbon emissions.
See the rest here:
Obama slams GOP candidates' anti-immigrant rhetoric ...
- Edward Keegan: The Obama Presidential Center promises to be a very un-Chicago building - Chicago Tribune - October 19th, 2025 [October 19th, 2025]
- Who is Judge Chuang, the Obama appointee assigned to John Bolton's case? - Fox News - October 19th, 2025 [October 19th, 2025]
- University of Alabama student earns Obama Foundation's Voyager Scholarship - The Tuscaloosa News - October 19th, 2025 [October 19th, 2025]
- Obama, aiming to boost Democrats in New Jersey and Virginia, endorses Sherrill and Spanberger - AP News - October 19th, 2025 [October 19th, 2025]
- Michelle Obama Brings Her Voice And Style to Brooklyn - BKReader - October 19th, 2025 [October 19th, 2025]
- Barack and Michelle Obama spark backlash after details about recent trip come to light here's what's happening - The Cool Down - October 19th, 2025 [October 19th, 2025]
- A Video Of Obama Exposing How He Thinks MAGA Would React If He Sent Troops To Red States Is Going Viral, And It's A Startling Reminder Of The Double... - October 19th, 2025 [October 19th, 2025]
- Sherrill pulls out all stops with Obama endorsement, star-studded New Jersey campaign push as race tightens - Fox News - October 19th, 2025 [October 19th, 2025]
- Obama, aiming to boost Democrats in New Jersey and Virginia, endorses Sherrill and Spanberger - Sun Sentinel - October 19th, 2025 [October 19th, 2025]
- Michelle Obama bringing new live podcast to Brooklyn with Tracee Ellis Ross - Yahoo News New Zealand - October 17th, 2025 [October 17th, 2025]
- Michael Steele urges George W. Bush to join Obama in publicly condemning Trump - MSNBC News - October 17th, 2025 [October 17th, 2025]
- Higher Ground to Launch "IMO: The Look" Podcast Series With Michelle Obama on November 5, Featuring Live Events Alongside Book Release -... - October 17th, 2025 [October 17th, 2025]
- Marc Maron ends his podcast with final guest Barack Obama after 16 years and nearly 1,700 episodes - NBC News - October 17th, 2025 [October 17th, 2025]
- Depredations of Congressional Authority Dominate, from Obama to Trump - American Enterprise Institute - October 17th, 2025 [October 17th, 2025]
- Spanberger campaign using Obama to get Trump into the Virginia governor race - Augusta Free Press - October 17th, 2025 [October 17th, 2025]
- Michelle Obama bringing new live podcast to Brooklyn with Tracee Ellis Ross - New York Daily News - October 17th, 2025 [October 17th, 2025]
- Author and Former Obama Speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz Headlines NCJW 'Women of Vision' Event - thejewishnews.com - October 17th, 2025 [October 17th, 2025]
- Obama rebukes Trumps use of National Guard in cities: inherently corrupting - The Hill - October 17th, 2025 [October 17th, 2025]
- Democracy is on the ballot, Obama says, urging Californians to pass Prop. 50 in new ad - Los Angeles Times - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Obama rips concessions that businesses and others have made to Trump - CNN - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Obama Torches Trump by Turning MAGAs Favorite Gripe Against Him - The Daily Beast - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Obama takes aim at companies cutting deals with Trump: We have capacity to take a stand - The Guardian - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Marc Maron Ends His Podcast With Words of Advice From Barack Obama - The Hollywood Reporter - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Obama: Inherently corrupting for a president to use military against their own people - The Hill - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Barack Obama Emphasizes Civility More Than Warrior Spirit With Marc Maron On Final WTF: We Probably Need To Be Shaken Out Of Our Complacency -... - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Obama Blasts Companies and Universities for Backing Down to Trump - Newsweek - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Barack Obama Reveals He Only Plays This One Phone Game - CNET - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Marc Maron Ends WTF Podcast With Barack Obama Giving Him Advice: Be a Little Brain-Dead for a While and Dont Rush Into Whats Next - Variety - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Obama warns that Republicans want to rig next years election in horrowing ad - TheGrio - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Obama Reveals Why He Started Speaking Out Against Trump - The Daily Beast - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Trump takes swipe at Hillary Clinton, blasts Obama and Biden in passionate address to Israeli parliament - New York Post - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- This is 'a test,' Obama says of the US under Trump. He gets candid with podcaster Marc Maron - TheDailyNewsOnline.com - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Former Pres. Obama Adviser Weighs in on Obamas Comments on Trump: The Greatest Threat is People are Complacent. - CNN - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Opinion - Obama rebukes Trumps use of National Guard in cities: inherently corrupting - Yahoo - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Obama Finally Tells Us Why Hes Been So Quiet When It Comes to Trump - The Root - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Barack Obama Believes Businesses And Universities Are Being Tested By The Trump Administration Here's His Advice - afrotech.com - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Barack Obama urges Californians to back Prop. 50: Democracy is on the ballot - Stocktonia - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Obama rebukes Trump's use of Nat'l Guard in cities: 'inherently corrupting' Lindsey Granger | RISING - The Hill - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Obama gloats that Hispanics who voted Trump for the economy are now being 'tested' by ICE raids - Daily Mail - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Barack Obama Accuses Republicans Of Wanting To 'Rig The Next Election' In Ad Supporting Governor Newsom - Latin Times - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- This is a test, Obama says of the U.S. under Trump. He gets candid with podcaster Marc Maron - Los Angeles Times - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- 2024 was a repudiation of the Obama-DEI style of politics: Michael Malice - Fox News - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- After Nobel Snub, Trump To Get An Award That Obama Received - NDTV - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Top lawyers for Bush, Clinton and Obama join together to blast Trumps political prosecutions: No American is safe - AOL.com - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Trump's Power Success, Obama-Biden's Wages of Weakness, by Austin Bay - Creators Syndicate - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Barack Obama opens up on decision to speak out against Trump after leaving the Oval Office - UNILAD - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Former President Barack Obama decries politicization of the military by President Donald Trump - Chicago Tribune - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- Rigged! Obama cuts ad for California ballot initiative and questions the legitimacy of 2026 election - Washington Times - October 15th, 2025 [October 15th, 2025]
- President Obama explores ways to combat the rise of authoritarianism with Eastern European alumni - Obama Foundation - October 13th, 2025 [October 13th, 2025]
- Michelle Obama's Girls Opportunity Alliance is rallying $2.5 million for grassroots education - ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos - October 13th, 2025 [October 13th, 2025]
- Awarded for nothing: Trump hits out at Obama over Nobel Peace Prize win; calls himself more deserving - The Times of India - October 13th, 2025 [October 13th, 2025]
- MAGA Fumes at Obama for Ignoring Trump in His Peace Post - The Daily Beast - October 13th, 2025 [October 13th, 2025]
- A quick word in the ear and Trump had done what Obama and Biden never could - yahoo.com - October 13th, 2025 [October 13th, 2025]
- Watch the heartwarming moment when a 102-year-old woman tells Barack Obama what she eats every day - Yahoo Creators - October 13th, 2025 [October 13th, 2025]
- Trump only really wanted to win the Nobel Peace Prize for one reason and you guessed it: its Obama - The Independent - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Obama: We should all be encouraged that end to Israel-Hamas war in sight - The Hill - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Trump railed against Obama before he was passed over for Nobel Peace Prize - TheGrio - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Battenfeld: Obama shows pettiness by failing to credit Trump for peace deal - Boston Herald - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Trumps Attempt to Goad Navy Into Booing Obama Met With Awkward Silence - Yahoo - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Trump Slams Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Win Just Before Losing His Campaign - BIN: Black Information Network - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Maria Corina Machado wins Nobel Peace Prize 2025: The delicious Obama twist in giving the award to Venezu - Times of India - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Trump only really wanted to win the Nobel Peace Prize for one reason and you guessed it: its Obama - Yahoo - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- "Obama Got It For Nothing": Trump Tears Into Ex-President's Nobel Prize Win - NDTV - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Obama's Go-To Hometown Meal Comes With A Heaping Helping Of Comfort - Yahoo - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Trump tries to get Navy to boo Obama what happened next left the crowd silent - The Economic Times - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Top CNN anchor shocks with praise for Trump compared to Obama - SILive.com - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Barack Obama's 'elite' pen of choice is unbelievably affordable today - Creative Bloq - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Be cool when you walk down: Trump compliments the way Obama would bop down the stairs of Air Force One - Yahoo - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Obama's Go-To Hometown Meal Comes With A Heaping Helping Of Comfort - Chowhound - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Trump met with awkward silence after attempting to get crowd to boo Obama - tyla.com - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Watch: Trump flops at Navy's 250th anniversary event; tries to provoke boos for Obama but fail - Times of India - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Did Obama say '80% of the world's problems involve old men hanging on'? - Snopes - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Trump just tried to claim he's in better shape than Obama but nobody's buying it - Indy100 - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Michelle Obama shares the ultimate secret to happiness, says Gen Z is simply not getting it - Scoop Upworthy - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Barack Obama and Michelle Obama's Photos Through the Years - People.com - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Former President Barack Obama - Image 1 from The Obamas Celebrate 33 Years of Black Love At Its Finest - bet.com - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Michelle and Barack Obama Share Adorable, Never-Before-Seen Photo to Celebrate 33rd Anniversary - instyle.com - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- During the Obama administration, Donald Trump spent years blaming the president for government shutdowns. The federal government remained shut down... - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- CNN speaks with the man behind the viral DJ Obama AI-generated images - CNN - October 4th, 2025 [October 4th, 2025]
- From Mariah Carey to Obama and Chris Brown, every celebrity mentioned in Diddy's trial - USA Today - October 4th, 2025 [October 4th, 2025]