Former President Barack Obama is hitting the campaign trail for the first time in person Wednesday to stump for his former vice president, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, and running mate Kamala Harris.
Obama is scheduled to appear at a "drive-in rally" at about 6 p.m. Eastern time outside the South Philadelphia stadium that's home to the Phillies baseball franchise. The event _ in a crucial state in the presidential contest _ is expected to be livestreamed.
In a video he posted on Twitter on Tuesday night, Obama said Biden is "on the right side of the issues" and urged young voters not to be complacent.
"I know there's plenty out there to make people feel cynical. And plenty of people are going to seize on that to convince you that your vote doesn't matter. It's not new. It's one of the oldest voter suppression tactics there is," Obama said. "What is new is a growing movement for justice, equality and progress on so many issues. ... To change the game on any of the issues we care about, Joe Biden needs your vote."
The Democratic National Committee last week released an ad featuring Obama urging voters to cast their ballots early. "It's going to be close. It could come down to a handful of voters just like you," Obama said in the ad. "Leave no doubt. Vote early."
Lisa Deeley, who chairs Philadelphia's election commission, and her deputy Nick Custodio.
Obama had largely stayed away from publicly criticizing President Donald Trump for much of Trump's presidency. But the former president has taken an increasingly public role in support of Biden, including giving a speech at the Democratic National Convention in which he said "Donald Trump hasn't grown into the job because he can't."
Philadelphia is a Democratic stronghold that Biden will need to carry Pennsylvania, a divided battleground state whose 20 electoral votes could be key to Biden and Trump's path to the 270 needed to win.
Obama won Pennsylvania in 2008 and 2012, but Trump carried the state in 2016 over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, by just 44,000 votes.
