At Ohio rally, Obama blasts Ramaswamy and GOP over controversial Acton ad: ‘He won’t sink to the bottom’

Former President Barack Obama lashed out Saturday at what he described as cruelty and indecency from President Trump and his Republican allies, engaging in one of the nation’s ugliest midterm fights as he worked to rally Democratic voters in battleground Ohio.

Obama specifically targeted Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who doubled down on his efforts. an advertising campaign featuring Democratic rival Amy Acton’s ex-mother. Mr. Trump and Vice President JD Vance also defended the adeven as Ohio Republican leaders, including Gov. Mike DeWine, requested its removal.

“In recent days, we’ve seen that there is no line he won’t cross, no level where he won’t sink,” Obama said of Ramaswamy, noting that Acton “spoke movingly about her painful childhood and all she experienced: abuse, neglect and homelessness.”

“We should expect some decency from our public officials,” Obama continued. “And I don’t know what happened where the standards of behavior are so low that someone would put out an advert like that.”

Obama, 65, remains the Democratic Party’s top motivator nearly a decade after leaving the White House. He campaigned in Michigan later Saturday night, lending the Democratic Party his star power in the battlegrounds of the Midwest that will help determine the balance of power in American politics next week.

Obama shared the stage with Acton and former Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, who is seeking to unseat Republican Sen. Jon Husted.

Although Ohio has become more reliably Republican, it has been a hotly contested battleground this year. Mr. Trump and Vance have both visited the state in recent weeks to drum up support for Husted and Ramaswamy. And the controversy surrounding the Ramaswamy ad has raised the already high temperature.

Ramaswamy defended his decision to pursue advertising as fair game. Mr. Trump aggressively defended the ad, which became a national flashpoint in the final days of the midterm elections, as he voted in West Palm Beach on Saturday.

“It’s a shame,” Mr. Trump said. “The mother said Amy Acton is a liar and she’s no good. And you know what? I don’t think you can get a better reference on that.” He added that if his own mother had said anything bad about him, it would be front and center.

The Ramaswamy campaign video features Acton’s biological mother, Donna Arthur, calling her a “liar” and insinuating that she has mental health issues.

Acton says his mother ‘wasn’t doing well’ and his stepfather ‘wasn’t a good person’

Acton, Ohio’s health director during the time of COVID-19, has made no secret that he faced homelessness and abuse as a child. Arthur lost custody of his children after their stepfather, Arthur’s husband, was charged with rape involving Acton.

The abuse allegedly occurred from December 1976 to April 1978. Cledith Arthur failed to appear for a court appearance and became a fugitive. Donna Arthur remained married to him until his death in 2004.

“I hope everyone sees all the facts,” Acton told CBS News before the rally. “The facts are these: I was removed from my mother’s custody. She was not doing well. From a young age, my brother and I suffered a lot of abuse and neglect, even before my stepfather. But my stepfather was not a good person, and it got worse at that time. He was indicted by a grand jury. He was a fugitive and they left together. And she obviously decided to leave with him. There are a lot of things that have happened to her since, but I haven’t seen her since I was in a courthouse for 12 years.

Acton told CBS News that “we all know that was too much of a line to cross,” adding that “no one running for office should have to endure something like that.”

She continued, “But I can tell you, my childhood made me who I am. It made me stronger. You know, I’m not the only one who experienced a thing or two in my childhood.”

Appearing on stage in front of Obama, Acton spoke as if he were speaking directly to Ramaswamy.

“My opponent chose to intentionally exploit my childhood to save his stumbling campaign, but that won’t work,” she said. “Decency still matters.” She added: “Mr. Ramaswamy, you are not only out of touch with reality, you are independent and a danger to my state. Apparently, there is no level to which you will not stoop.”

Obama blasts White House for ‘chaos, cruelty, corruption and incompetence’

In Ohio, Obama also denounced Mr. Trump’s failure to cut costs, a key campaign promise, pointing out that the president had instead focused on building a new White House ballroom and helipad on the South Lawn.

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but he seems very focused on renovating the house,” he joked. “It should be on HGTV.” He continued: “There’s gold everywhere. It makes the White House look like Saddam Hussein opened a cheesecake factory.”

The former Democratic president acknowledged that the nation would have Mr. Trump for two more years, until his term ends. But voters are not stuck with Mr. Trump’s allies, he said.

“We are not stuck with a soulless Congress and Republican governors who deal with lawlessness, recklessness, cruelty and indifference to workers,” Obama said. “After two years of chaos, cruelty, corruption and incompetence, the likes of which we have not seen in modern times, you have the opportunity to say enough is enough.”

After concluding his stay in Ohio, Obama I headed to a gathering in Detroit for Abdul El-Sayeda former public health official who is working to unify Michigan’s Democratic base after winning a contentious primary by less than a percentage point. El-Sayed is running against former Rep. Mike Rogers, a Republican.

Obama will headline a rally in Georgia next week with Sen. Jon Ossoff and gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms. Mr. Trump is expected to speak in Georgia on Saturday.