Obama Makes First Campaign Appearances of Cycle in Michigan and Ohio Days Before Midterms

Former President Barack Obama rallied with Democratic candidates in Detroit, Michigan, and Cleveland, Ohio, on Saturday, in his first in-person campaigning of this election cycle, roughly 10 days before Election Day. In Detroit he appeared with Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, the Democratic candidate for governor, who holds a slight polling edge over Republican Rep. John James. Obama urged voters to elect them, saying the election is about voters rather than the candidates. Benson said she is tired of politicians who do whatever President Donald Trump tells them and asked supporters to work hard for the next 10 days. In Ohio, Obama joined Democrat Amy Acton and criticized an attack ad by Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, saying no office is worth stooping that low. He also said Americans face higher costs because of administration decisions, including a war he called unnecessary. Obama endorsed El-Sayed earlier this month, appearing in an ad that ran Oct. 12. Trump is due in Corinth, Miss., on Monday to support Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith.

Left-leaning outlets HuffPost and MS NOW lead with Obama's speeches. HuffPost's headline calls the Detroit rally fiery, and it quotes Obama praising El-Sayed and Benson and Benson attacking Trump. MS NOW instead leads with Obama and Acton condemning the Ramaswamy ad. Fox News, on the right, leads with El-Sayed. It cites undecided Black voters in Detroit who said the endorsement is not moving them, Republican questions about his Black support, and his 2012 essay accusing Obama of failing to deliver on his promises. Both sides report the Michigan rally and Obama's endorsement. They differ in sourcing: Democratic speakers on the left, voters and Republican critics on the right. Left coverage omits the essay and the voter doubts. Fox does not quote the rally speeches. The Hill adds a separate angle, previewing Trump's travel in the campaign's last week.