Obama points to $2 trillion Iran war cost as he rallies Ohio Democrats

Former President Barack Obama accused the Trump administration of “cruelty and corruption” on Saturday during a midterm election rally in Ohio. He spoke to supporters to boost the state’s Democratic candidates ahead of the November vote.

Obama argued that the current president made poor strategic choices. He specifically pointed to the decision to start a war with Iran that he described as unnecessary. He labeled the conflict a key example of the administration’s missteps.

The former president also addressed a dispute in the Ohio gubernatorial race. Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy ran an attack ad featuring Amy Acton’s mother, Donna Arthur. Arthur disputed Acton’s account of childhood homelessness and sexual abuse by her stepfather. The stepfather, who died in 2004, had been charged with rape.

Obama said he did not know how standards of behavior had dropped so low that such an ad could air. He defended Acton, noting that her brother supported her account of the abuse. He stated that Acton spoke movingly about her painful experiences with neglect and homelessness.

Ohio polls currently show Democrats holding a two-point lead in both the gubernatorial and Senate races. The results are expected to be close. Obama shared the stage with Acton and former Senator Sherrod Brown. Brown is running for the Senate seat currently held by incumbent Republican Jon Husted.