Former President Barack Obama has urged Arizona voters to reject Governor Kari Lake’s GOP nomination in next week’s midterm elections, blaming White House successor Donald Trump.
Speaking at a Democratic rally in Phoenix on Wednesday, Obama said of former local newscaster Lake, “If you hadn’t just elected someone whose main credential was being on television, you probably would have done it. I could have tried it.
It was a clear reference to former reality TV personality Trump.
“What’s the worst that could happen?” Obama imagined people thinking. “Well, it turns out that just because someone’s on TV doesn’t mean they’re going to do well.”
Mr. Obama recalled being interviewed in 2016 when he was still in office by Mr. Lake, a pro-Trump who has a fierce rivalry with Arizona Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs.
He admitted that his memories of their exchange were “a little fuzzy.” But Obama said he doesn’t remember thinking she was the one promoting unsubstantiated coronavirus measures or making unsubstantiated claims that the 2020 election was rigged.
“I think that sort of thing came later because she found it useful,” he said.
