Obama slams North Carolina's MAGA candidates in Charlotte rally

Catch up quick: Obama was referring to Morrow's past social media posts about executing Democratic officials, including Gov. Roy Cooper and Joe Biden.

• The state superintendent race usually doesn't garner much attention, but Morrow's controversies have drawn national eyeballs.

The big picture: The Harris campaign sent in the big guns — Obama, a president with a fan base, one who has won this state — to drive blue and persuadable voters to the polls.

• "I'm here for a very important reason, and that is to ask you to vote," he said.
• North Carolina is a must-win state for Trump. And if the Charlotte area's largely Democrat population doesn't show up to vote, he has a solid chance.
• Mecklenburg County turnout has been abysmally low in recent elections.

By the numbers: North Carolina is nine days into early voting and so far, Republican turnout is high compared to 2020, and Black voter turnout is low, WFAE reports.

• Democratic nominee for governor, Attorney General Josh Stein, said North Carolina had the power to "save" not only North Carolina's future but "this nation and the world."

Throughout his roughly 40-minute speech, Obama mocked Trump, criticizing everything from his Bible sales to his "word salad" speeches to his late-at-night, all-caps social media posts.

• "If your grandpa was acting like this, you'd be worried," he said.
• Obama at points switched to a more serious tone. He called Trump dangerous, and he said people who worked with and for him agreed. John Kelly, Trump's longest-serving White House chief of staff, recently alleged Trump has on multiple occasions praised Adolf Hitler.
• "In politics, a good rule of thumb is don't say you want to do anything like Hitler," Obama said.

Turning to Robinson, Obama said he didn't "know where to start." He said Robinson makes Trump "look almost normal."

• CNN reported in late September that Robinson referred to himself as a "Black Nazi!" and a "perv" online and expressed support for reinstating slavery.
• Obama praised Stein and his accomplishments as attorney general. Earlier in the event, Stein got the crowd roaring by reciting some of Robinson's most controversial statements.
• "There's not a single person in this room tonight who needed that CNN story to know that that man is unfit to be our governor," he said.

About Helene, Obama condemned Trump and Sen. JD Vance for "just making stuff up" and spreading misinformation about federal assistance.

• "At a moment when people are most vulnerable, most desperate for somebody, anybody — to try to manipulate and use that for their own gain — when did that become OK?" Obama said.

Zoom in: Attendee Chris Rich, who identifies as an independent, said Trump's misinformation about Helene pushed him toward Harris. His mountain home was damaged significantly during the storm, Rich said.

• "FEMA has been there helping me every step of the way," he said.

Flashback: Obama was the last president to win the state of North Carolina and the only Democratic presidential candidate to do so in the previous 20 years.

• After Harris announced her candidacy, Gov. Cooper made headlines for pronouncing he had that "2008 feeling." He repeated that sentiment Friday night.

The vibe: It was all the ingredients of a Democrat rally. A DJ getting people on their feet to "Wobble." A crowd of quippy T-shirts like "Voting Is My Black Job." Chants of "We're Not Going Back."

• Thomas Davis warmed up the crowd for Obama as a special guest. The former Panthers player said of Donald Trump, "excuse my French, we don't want to see that sh*t no more."
• The room was packed. Before hitting the main stage, Obama visited an overflow area with people who were denied entry. In a few minutes, he emphasized the importance of getting out and voting.
• "I'm going to give a longer talk in a second but folks won't be as close as I am to you right now," he told the few hundred supporters.

Zoom out: Obama is campaigning for Harris in the other battleground states, sometimes with A-list celebrities, in the countdown until Election Day.

• He rallied with rap star Eminem in Detroit and Bruce Springsteen in Georgia.
• Trump's making his rounds, too. He appeared at four events, including two rallies, in North Carolina earlier in the week.