Obama blasts Donald Trump for ‘making stuff up’ in rallying cry to voters ahead of midterms

Former US president Barack Obama criticised President Donald Trump’s tenure in office on Friday in fiery speeches in Milwaukee and Detroit that took aim at him and other Republicans for “making stuff up.”

The speeches were among Obama’s sharpest and most direct takedowns of Trump’s presidency, although the former president was careful to not mention Trump by name. He said the “character of our country is on the ballot” in the first midterm election since Trump took office.

Obama cited a recent Trump comment that he would pass a tax cut before the November election. Obama then told the crowds in high school gymnasiums that “Congress isn’t even in session before the election! He just makes it up!”

At one point Obama said in Wisconsin: “Here’s the thing. Everything I say you can look up.”

Obama’s visits were to urge people to vote for Michigan and Wisconsin’s Democratic candidates. While Trump was frequently the target of his criticism, he did not spare Republicans generally and said they are lying when they say they want to protect people with pre-existing conditions while trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

“What we have not seen before in our public life is politicians just blatantly, repeatedly, baldly, shamelessly, lying. Just making stuff up,” Obama said. “Calling up, down. Calling black, white. That’s what your governor is doing with these ads, just making stuff up,” he said, referring to Wisconsin Republican Governor Scott Walker and his assertions that he wants to protect health care for those with pre-existing conditions. Walker is being challenged by Democrat Tony Evers.