NEW: 1 day ago on Dec 5th, the same day as Gavin Newsom's below event, former President Barack Obama spoke at his Foundation's 2024 Democracy Forum.
AUDIO TRANSCRIPT:
"This all sounds pretty good, except pluralism depends on everyone following a certain set of rules.
'That's what you said, Obama'.
What happens when the other side has repeatedly and abundantly made clear they are not interested in playing by the rules? It's a problem. And when that happens, we fight for what we believe in.
There are going to be times, potentially, when one side tries to stack the deck and lock in a permanent grip on power, either by actively suppressing votes, or politicizing the Armed Forces, or using the Judiciary, the criminal justice system to go after opponents.
And in those circumstances, pluralism does not call for us to just stand back and say 'Well, I'm not sure that's okay.' In those circumstances, a line has been crossed, and we have to stand firm and speak out and organize and mobilize as forcefully as we can."
👀 LIVE VIDEO CAPTIONS (Notably different from his spoken words. Could they have been from an earlier version of his speech?): "using the Judiciary to go after their opponents. When that happens, compromise isn't possible: instead, we have in those circumstances, a line has been crossed"
The BIG ASS Stadium Tour 2025 with @JellyRoll615 and @SierraFerrell sponsored by @TMobile. All dates and on-sale info here: https://t.co/Df3YEQ5IrR I love you all so very much! 🫶🏼
A WARNING TO THE TIMES: Tuesday, we will be returning to work, after a successful Election Week ULP Strike. We clearly demonstrated how valuable our work is to @nytimes. And now we’ll move our fight inside.
Before it’s too late to make history transparent and to Trump-proof the past from erasure, Jack Smith and Merrick Garland — yes, that guy — can yet perform a great public service by going fully public:
Last week I posted a #Maddow video in which she explained that we the people need to step up - not give up - in the wake of Trump’s victory, lest we cede any ground to an authoritarian.
In this important follow-up video, she explains how we do just that.
@BaddCompani America has just faced an attack like no other in our history—more devastating than Pearl Harbor, and not a single shot was fired. Our government is racing against time to respond. This moment isn’t just about us—it’s a global crisis. Here’s why. (1/9)
Thank you, @SymoneDSanders. I’ve long suspected the ones who stabbed Biden in the back might have been the same folks withholding campaign funds from certain groups. Probably the same ones who wanted a shock primary.
BREAKING: https://t.co/JQWy2gTfhs just dropped a new track titled "Yes She Can"—and yes, “She” is Kamala Harris.
This is the anthem America needs to hear right now.
"Let me tell you what's gonna help us move on: I get elected president of the United States" -- Hallie Jackson asks Kamala Harris if she would considering pardoning Trump but Harris isn't having any of that nonsense