Barack Obama calls Capitol riots a ‘moment of great dishonor’
The former president says that today's actions underscore the need to unifty around President-elect Biden
Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, has called the violence at the Capitol today, “a moment of great dishonor and shame for our nation.”
The former president released a statement tonight on Twitter just moments before Congress reconvened to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election.
“History will rightly remember today’s violence at the Capitol, incited by a sitting president who has continued to baselessly lie about the outcome of a lawful election, as a moment of great dishonor and shame for our nation. But we’d be kidding ourselves if we treated it as a total surprise,” Obama wrote.
“For two months now,” Obama continued, “a political party and its accompanying media ecosystem has too often been unwilling to tell their followers the truth — that this was not a particularly close election and that President-Elect Biden will be inaugurated on January 20.”
“Their fantasy narrative has spiraled further and further from reality, and it builds upon years of sown resentments. Now we’re seeing the consequences, whipped up into a violent crescendo.”
Obama then called on the Republican leaders who have been supporting President Donald Trump’s unfounded election fraud claims.
“Right now, Republican leaders have a choice made clear in the desecrated chambers of democracy. They can continue down this road and keep stoking the raging fires. Or they can choose reality and take the first steps toward extinguishing the flames. They can choose America.”
He added that he was “heartened” to see some Republicans speak out against the violence, referencing Republican leaders in Georgia who for months have been calling on Trump to stop his rhetoric.
“We need more leaders like these,” Obama concluded, “right now and in the days, weeks, and months ahead as President-Elect Biden works to restore a common purpose to our politics. It’s up to all of us as Americans, regardless of party, to support him in that goal.”
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