周四访问格鲁吉亚为了给民主党参议员拉斐尔·沃诺克(Raphael Warnock)助选，前总统巴拉克·奥巴马(Barack Obama)敦促民众去投票站投票为什么该州周二的决选尽管参议院占多数，但这一点很重要，他吹捧民主党的成就，并多次抨击共和党人赫歇尔·沃克(Herschel Walker)，后者对沃诺克提出了自己的批评。
“有些人会问，‘好吧，如果民主党已经控制了参议院，这又有什么关系呢?“50岁和51岁有什么区别?”答案是很多。让我来给你解释一下:多一个参议员让民主党在重要法案上有更多的喘息空间。它防止一个人阻碍一切，”奥巴马在亚特兰大的一次集会上说。
“51比50更好的最大原因是，这意味着沃尔诺克牧师将继续在华盛顿代表你，”奥巴马对欢呼者说。
“作为你们的参议员，沃尔诺克牧师并没有追逐古怪的阴谋论，他也没有制造恐惧和分裂。他们说有些人是表演用的马，有些人是工作用的马——而你这里就有一匹工作用的马。他一直在工作，”奥巴马指着沃诺克说。
在沃克最近因其关于吸血鬼和狼人的竞选演讲评论而走红后，奥巴马开玩笑说他也有过这些辩论...当他7岁的时候。
“当你花更多的时间思考恐怖电影幻想，而不是思考你想代表的人，这就说明了你的优先事项，”奥巴马说。
“沃克先生决定成为一名狼人，这在我看来很棒。他可以成为任何他想成为的人...除了美国参议员，”前总统说。
奥巴马还呼应了沃诺克的最后竞选宣传，这主要围绕着沃诺克所说的他和沃克之间的性格对比，而不仅仅是政治上的对比。(沃克反过来说，沃诺克自己也有争议，并说沃诺克不相信“救赎”。)
“你应该有一个值得你骄傲的参议员。一个会和你直说的人。会为你而战的人。在华盛顿赢得尊重的人。像沃尔诺克牧师这样的人一直在这样做，”奥巴马说。
In this Oct. 28, 2022, file photo, former President Barack Obama greets Sen. Raphael Warnock as he arrives at a campaign event for Georgia Democrats on Oct. 28, 2022, in College Park, Ga.
Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images，文件
给了中期报告卡，奥巴马庆祝许多选举否认者已经失败。
“你可能感觉很好，因为几周前人们去投票了。因此，民主党仍然控制着参议院。由于其他一些协同努力，在许多重要的州，许多最恶劣的，潜在的危险，让我们面对它有点疯狂的人，选举否认者，被击败了。这是好消息，”他说。“事实证明，大多数美国人更喜欢那些希望团结人民、解决实际问题的领导人，而不是阴谋论者和恐惧传播者。这让我有些乐观。很高兴知道人们更喜欢正常人而不是疯子。”
当沃诺克周四在奥巴马之前登台时，他强调了他竞选中的一条共同主线:“这是关于性格和能力的。”
“我们有政治分歧，这是这个国家成为伟大国家的一部分。但是让我告诉你:在我的竞选中，这不是关于共和党和民主党。这不是左右的问题。这是对与错的区别，”他说。
“我相信我的灵魂，格鲁吉亚知道格鲁吉亚比赫歇尔沃克更好，”他说。
“我不介意给予荣誉:赫歇尔·沃克是一个了不起的运动员，”他谈到佐治亚大学的足球传奇人物。沃诺克补充道，“他是一个令人惊讶的跑锋，下周二我们将把他送回德克萨斯。”
在谈到他如何为周六的投票而战时，沃诺克告诉观众，到目前为止，决选中破纪录的投票率“激励”了他，但支持者不要自满。
“我不希望我们被催眠，”他说。
Obama stumps for Warnock with five days left to go in Georgia runoff
Visiting Georgia on Thursdayto campaign for Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock, former President Barack Obama urged the crowd to turn out at the polls, laying outwhy the state's Tuesday runoffis significant despite a decided Senate majority, touting Democratic accomplishments and taking multiple jabs at Republican Herschel Walker, who has lobbed his own criticisms at Warnock.
"Some folks are asking, 'Well, if Democrats already have control of the Senate, why does this matter? What is the difference between 50 and 51?' The answer is a lot. Let me break it down for you: An extra senator gives Democrats more breathing room on important bills. It prevents one person from holding up everything," Obama said at a rally in Atlanta.
"The biggest reason 51 is better than 50 because it means Rev. Warnock will keep representing you in Washington," Obama said to cheers.
"As your senator, Rev. Warnock hasn't been off chasing wacky conspiracy theories, he hasn't been drumming up fear and division. They talk about some folks being show horses and some folks being workhorses -- and you've got a workhorse here. He's been working," Obama said, pointing to Warnock.
After Walker recently went viral for his campaign speech comments about vampires and werewolves, Obama joked that he also had those debates ... when he was 7 years old.
"When you spend more time thinking about horror movie fantasies than you do thinking about the people you want to represent, that says something about your priorities," Obama said.
"Mr. Walker decided he wanted to be a werewolf, which is great as far as I'm concerned. He can be anything he wants to be ... except United States Senator," the former president said.
Obama also echoed Warnock's closing campaign pitch, which has largely revolved around what Warnock called a contrast in character -- rather than just politics -- between him and Walker. (Walker, in turn, has said Warnock has controversies of his own and said Warnock doesn't believe in "redemption.")
"You deserve a senator you can be proud of. Somebody who will talk straight to you. Somebody who will fight for you. Somebody who has garnered respect in Washington. Somebody like Rev. Warnock, who has been doing it," Obama said.
Giving a midterm report card, Obama celebrated that many election deniers had lost.
"You may be feeling pretty good, because a few weeks ago people turned out to vote. And as a result, Democrats still have control of the Senate. And because of some of other concerted efforts, in a lot of important states, many of the most egregious, potentially dangerous and -- let's face it -- somewhat crazy folks, election deniers, got beat. That's the good news," he said. "It turns out that most Americans prefer leaders who want to bring people together, to solve real problems as opposed to conspiracy theorists and fear mongers. That makes me somewhat optimistic. It's good to know that folks would prefer normal to lunatics."
When Warnock took the stage ahead of Obama on Thursday, he emphasized a common throughline in his campaign: "This is about character and competence."
"We have political differences, that's part of what makes this country a great country. But let me tell you: In my race, this is not about Republican and Democrat. This is not about right and left. This is about the difference between right and wrong," he said.
"I believe in my soul that Georgia knows that Georgia is better than Herschel Walker," he said.
"I don't mind giving credit where credit is due: Herschel Walker was an amazing athlete," he said of the University of Georgia football legend. Warnock added, "He was an amazing running back, and come next Tuesday we're gonna send him running back to Texas."
Talking about how he fought for Saturday voting, Warnock told the crowd that the record-breaking turnout in the runoff so far had "inspired" him but for supporters not to become complacent.
"I don't want us to be lulled to sleep," he said.
