WATCH LIVE: Former President Obama is speaking out about threats to U.S. democracy – just before he goes on the campaign trail for several Democrats this fall cbsn.ws/2NW6JsJ
Former President Obama on why he declined to speak at University of Illinois' 2017 commencement: "The truth was, I was also intent on following a wise American tradition of ex- presidents gracefully exiting the political stage and making room for new voices and new ideas."
"As a fellow citizen, not as an ex-president but as a citizen, I'm here to deliver simple message and that is that you need to vote because our democracy depends on it," former President Obama tells students in Illinois cbsn.ws/2NW6JsJ
"Now, some of you may think I am exaggerating when I say this election is more important than any I can remember in my lifetime," Obama says. "But just a glance at recent headlines should tell you that this moment really is different." cbsn.ws/2NW6JsJ
"Each time we painstakingly pull ourselves closer to our founding ideas … somebody, somewhere has pushed back," Obama says. "It did not start with Donald Trump. He is a symptom, not the cause." cbsn.ws/2NW6JsJ
“When there is a vacuum in our democracy, when we don't vote, when we take our basic rights and freedoms for granted … then other voices fill the void. The politics of fear and resentment and entrenchment takes hold,” Obama says cbsn.ws/2NW6JsJ
"Neither party has been exclusively responsible for us going backwards instead of forwards," Obama says. "But over the past few decades, the politics of division and resentment and paranoia has unfortunately found a home in the Republican party." cbsn.ws/2NW6JsJ
"They are not doing us a service by actively promoting 90% of the crazy stuff that is coming out of this White House and then saying, 'Don't worry. We are preventing the other 10%,'" former President Obama says, apparently referring to NYT op-ed cbsn.ws/2NW6JsJ
"I'm here to tell you, that even if you don't agree with me or Democrats on policy … I'm here to tell you that you should still be concerned with our current course and should still want to see a restoration of honesty and decency and lawfulness in our government," Obama says
"We are Americans. We are supposed to stand up to bullies, not follow them," Obama says. "We are supposed to stand up to discrimination and we sure are as heck is supposed to stand up clearly and unequivocally to Nazi sympathizers." cbsn.ws/2NW6JsJ
“30 minutes of your time. Is democracy worth that?” Obama asks students in Illinois. If “you vote, something powerful happens. Change happens. Hope happens.” cbsn.ws/2NW6JsJ
