Barack Obama has recently emerged from his peaceful retirement to declare that black men not voting for Kamala Harris are, well… unmanly. The former president, in his infinite wisdom, is now holding a one-man workshop on masculinity, and the lesson is clear: if you don’t feel the Kamala magic, it's probably because you're a sexist. That's right, fellas. If you’re not lining up to check the box for “Madam Lock-Up-a-Brother” Harris, you're in need of a "Bro-Code" refresher. At least, that’s the gospel according to Barack.
At a Pittsburgh rally that looked more like a motivational TED talk gone awry, Obama broke down why black men are just not feeling Kamala. Spoiler alert: it’s not her history of locking up more than 1,500 black men and turning courtrooms into revolving doors. No, no. The problem, according to Mr. O, is sexism. “You’re not voting for Kamala? Well, clearly, you hate women. And by extension, you probably hate all of humanity, sunshine, and your mother’s Sunday dinners,” he might as well have said. His actual words were something about how real men don’t put women down by... you know, not voting for them.
Of course, X —the holy land of snark—didn’t waste a moment pointing out the absurdity. Former Georgia state rep Vernon Jones kicked things off, essentially calling out Obama for trying to shepherd black men back onto the Democratic voting plantation. Because nothing says “empowerment” quite like being lectured by a man whose number one achievement post-presidency is getting a Netflix deal.
And speaking of streaming services, Rob Smith, a conservative commentator who’s still salty he wasn’t invited to the Obamas’ Netflix pitch meeting, fired back too. His take? “Look, nobody is checking for Kamala. Obama thinks we’re going to fall for this ‘woke masculinity’ routine? Nah, we’ve got bills to pay and jobs to find.” Apparently, the memo about “voting being about actual policies” got lost in Obama’s inbox.
But Barack wasn’t about to let facts get in the way of a good guilt trip. He doubled down, suggesting that this was all about a “generational gap.” Forget Harris’s track record—her notorious role in incarcerating black men while serving as California’s Attorney General, for instance. Nope. The real issue? Toxic masculinity. Black men are just intimidated by powerful women in high heels. Uh, okay. So, after electing a black president (twice), the biggest hang-up is Kamala's stilettos?
But here’s the thing: Obama’s awkward attempt at rallying black men for Harris felt less like a rousing speech and more like the guy at the BBQ who won’t stop talking about his old college football days. Out of touch, desperate, and missing the point. The "brothas" are waking up, not just to Kamala’s less-than-appealing record, but to the fact that they’ve been viewed as a monolithic voting bloc for far too long. And spoiler alert: they don’t appreciate being talked down to.
The real kicker? It all feels like an encore of Joe Biden’s “You ain’t black” gaffe, except this time it’s dressed up in a more polished package. Obama seems to think the Democratic base can be guilted into line—because apparently, nothing says “vote of confidence” like being told you’re failing as a man if you don’t check the right box.
In the end, Obama’s "Bro Code" intervention fell flat. Black men aren’t suddenly going to rush to the polls to vote for a candidate whose most memorable campaign moments involve awkward cackles and viral sound bites about “kids in cages.” No, they’re thinking for themselves. And maybe—just maybe—Harris’s policy record doesn’t inspire a whole lot of trust.
The final takeaway from Obama’s guilt-trip tour? Black men are done with being told how to vote, when to vote, and why their manhood is on the line. As one social media sage summed it up, “Guess what, Barack? We can think for ourselves. And Kamala ain’t it.” The moral of the story is simple: if Obama’s 2024 “Vote Kamala or you’re not a man” tour is anything to go by, it might just be time for the Democrats to rethink their entire playbook.
Maybe instead of giving a lecture, they should try listening. Because if you want the "brothers" to show up at the polls, shame and guilt aren't exactly winning strategies.
Disclaimer:
Before you go all "bro" or "brotha" on me, please note that any use of these terms in this article comes directly from Barack Obama himself, not yours truly. I’m just the humble messenger delivering the madness. After all, I’m an elephant—not black, not white, just a glorious shade of gray. So, while Obama’s busy dividing the world into "bros" and "non-bros", I’m over here trying to remind everyone that wisdom comes in gray areas.
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