Photo taken on Jan. 20, 2017, shows U.S. President Donald Trump(L, front) greeted by former U.S. President Barack Obama after delivering his inaugural address during the presidential inauguration ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)
"What we're fighting against is these long-term trends in which being tribal, being divided, and seeing others as an enemy - that has become a stronger impulse in American life," Obama said.
WASHINGTON, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. President Barack Obama in a recent conversation blasted the response to the coronavirus pandemic by the current administration as "absolute chaotic disaster."
A tape recording of Obama's remarks, rendered during a chat with members of the Obama Alumni Association on Friday and obtained and first reported by Yahoo News, showed that the ex-president said the current occupant of the White House has made selfishness, tribalism, division and animosity "a stronger impulse in American life," which has impeded the containment of the coronavirus pandemic globally.
"What we're fighting against is these long-term trends in which being tribal, being divided, and seeing others as an enemy - that has become a stronger impulse in American life," Obama said. "And by the way, we're seeing that internationally as well. It's part of the reason why the response to this global crisis has been so anemic and spotty."
Photo taken on Jan. 20, 2017, shows former U.S. President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama walking to the helicopter escorted by newly-inaugurated U.S. President Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States in Washington D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Bao Dandan)
Obama continued: "It would have been bad even with the best of governments. It has been an absolute chaotic disaster when that mindset - of 'what's in it for me' and 'to heck with everybody else' - when that mindset is operationalized in our government."
"That's why, I, by the way, am going to be spending as much time as necessary and campaigning as hard as I can for Joe Biden," he added, referring to the former Vice President serving during his presidency who now is the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. ■
