Former President Barack Obama roused Southland Democrats at a rally Saturday at the Anaheim Convention Center, endorsing seven California Democratic congressional candidates seeking to capture Republican seats.
Taking the stage around noon in a crisp white shirt with his sleeves rolled halfway up and no tie, the two-term president began by telling stories about two previous visits to Anaheim to see Disneyland — the first as an 11-year-old boy, and the second during his years at Occidental College in Eagle Rock.
Obama revealed that the second visit ended prematurely when he was escorted out of Disneyland for smoking a cigarette.
“I was booted from the Magic Kingdom,” Obama joked.
But he quickly segued to politics with a reference to his speech a day earlier at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, in which he attacked President Donald Trump for the first time since leaving office in January 20-17.
Saying, “I gave a long speech yesterday. Today is a different role,” Obama avoided mentioning Trump by name this time, but said he wanted to “highlight the extraordinary group of candidates” he was endorsing.
He gave brief remarks in support of Gil Cisneros (39th Congressional District,) TJ Cox (21st District), Josh Harder (10th District), Katie Hill (25th District), Mike Levin (49th District) Katie Porter (45th District) and Harley Rouda (48th District).
Obama finished his 30-minute address by exhorting the hundreds of Democrats in attendance to work as hard as possible to elect Democrats in November’s midterm elections.
“We’re kicking off our bedroom slippers and we’re gonna put on our marching shoes,” Obama said, chiding those who might have been “a little bit lazy” about performing their duties as citizens.
“If these candidates win, I am absolutely confident that Washington will start working better,” Obama said.
A spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee highlighted recent economic news in responding to the former president’s appearance in Orange County.
“Just a day after a new report showed job growth exceeding expectations yet again, Obama is stepping back into the spotlight to support candidates who represent the failed policies that have plagued California,” said Christiana Purves, regional communications director for the RNC. “Californians are tired of being overtaxed, over-regulated and having families and businesses run out of the state. Obama’s support of these already flawed candidates just highlights how out of touch Democrats are with the issues that matter most to voters in these districts.”
Orange County Republican Chairman Fred Whitaker said earlier that Obama’s visit represents a double-edged sword as his party is fundraising off the appearance.
“Their base can go have a rally, but it gets my base more motivated,” Whitaker said. “It works for me.”
The Republican Party of Orange County sent out an email Friday signed by Rep. Mimi Walters, R-Laguna Niguel, encouraging party members “to volunteer at your closest Republican field office to make phone calls or knock on doors” this weekend.
“Many Republicans have called our Republican headquarters to ask what we can do in response to President Obama’s visit,” Walters wrote. “Do not let his visit distract us from our goal. While he and the Democrats talk to themselves we must talk to voters.”
Rouda, who is seeking to unseat Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Huntington Beach, said earlier that he was “very excited to have him (Obama) come to Orange County and support all these campaigns and help us flip Congress from red to blue.”
Rouda was also happy to see Obama take on Trump more forcefully in the Friday speech.
“It’s the first time in Trump’s presidency we’ve seen President Obama come out and make statements where he thinks our country needs to go and what’s appropriate behavior for the United States,” Rouda said.
“I think Democrats, no party preference and moderate Republicans long for the day of `no drama Obama,’ instead of the current president,” Rouda said.
Six of the seven Democratic congressional candidates the rally is being held on behalf of were in attendance. Katie Hill, who is challenging Rep. Steve Knight, R-Palmdale, in the Santa Clarita Valley and Antelope Valley’s 25th Congressional District, had a prior engagement and could not make it.
Mike Levin, who is running against Republican Diane Harkey for the 49th Congressional District seat being vacated by Republican Darrell Issa, paid tribute to the former president last month after receiving his endorsement.
“It is an incredible honor to be endorsed by President Obama. His was a presidency that, as he said, placed hope over fear, and unity of purpose over conflict and discord,” Levin said. “Like President Obama, I believe that hope in the face of difficulty and uncertainty are the bedrock of this nation. With his help, I know there are better days ahead and that we can bend the arc of history back towards justice.”
Democrats are hoping to flip four Republican seats in Orange County in November.