(OPINION) Former President Barack Obama sharply criticized Donald Trump’s promotion of a personalized “God Bless the USA” Bible, remarking that the former president and Republican presidential nominee “got his name right there next to Matthew and Luke” during a speech in Pennsylvania.
Speaking at a rally at the University of Pittsburgh to campaign for the Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, Obama expressed his disbelief over Trump’s actions.
“I get it, why people are looking to shake things up,” he said. “I mean, I am the ‘hopey changey’ guy, so I understand people feeling frustrated and feeling we can do better.
What I cannot understand is why anybody would think that Donald Trump will shake things up in a way that is good for you. Pennsylvania, I don’t understand that.”
Obama continued his critique by questioning Trump’s motives. “Because there is absolutely no evidence that this man thinks about anybody but himself,” he stated.
“I’ve said it before — Donald Trump is a 78-year-old millionaire who has not stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his golden escalator nine years ago.”
Drawing comparisons, Obama added: “You’ve got the tweets in all caps, the ranting and the raving about crazy conspiracy theories … it’s like Fidel Castro, just on and on.
Constant attempts to sell you stuff. Who does that? Selling you gold sneakers and a $100,000 watch and most recently, a Trump Bible — he wants you to buy the Word of God, Donald Trump Edition — got his name right there next to Matthew and Luke.”
At his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania last Saturday, Trump called the political establishment “very corrupt.” “Who wants open borders? Who wants men playing in women’s sports? Who wants sex-change operations for illegal aliens in holding bins? No, I don’t think so,” he said.
Trump promised a “new era of soaring income, skyrocketing wealth, millions of new jobs and a booming middle class.” He added, “And we’re going to unleash a manufacturing renaissance right here in Pennsylvania, including fracking, like we have never fracked before.”
Meanwhile, Global trade records reviewed by The Associated Press revealed that a printing company in Hangzhou, China, shipped nearly 120,000 copies of the “God Bless the USA” Bibles to the United States between early February and late March, reported The Telegraph this week, noting that Trump has often used strong anti-China rhetoric.
The estimated value of these three shipments was $342,000, averaging less than $3 per Bible. With the retail price starting at $59.99, the potential sales revenue could reach roughly $7 million.
