Obama pleads with digital influencers to back Biden: 'You may not agree with everything he does'
Former President Obama called on digital influencers to use their massive online audiences on TikTok, Instagram and other social media platforms to help President Biden win his re-election campaign despite any political differences they may have.
The former president, whom Biden served under as vice president, told influencers they might not agree entirely with Biden's policies but to get on board anyway.
"Joe Biden, you may not agree with everything he does," Obama said at a campaign fundraiser for Biden in Los Angeles on Saturday, according to Axios. "By the way, you didn't agree with everything I did. And that's OK. Because in a big, messy, complicated country like this, there are going to be disagreements."
"I need you guys to use your influence, and it doesn't have to be boring," Obama told them.
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"I don't expect you to have a bunch of charts and graphs," he said.
Obama added they may need to use "humor" to keep people engaged as they swiped through TikTok videos and Instagram reels.
The Biden administration has faced harsh criticism from the left, especially from college students and young voters, over its handling of the Israel-Hamas war. Large student protests, beginning at elite universities like Columbia University, have highlighted ongoing divisions in the Democratic Party.
Obama acknowledged that audiences on social media are often not interested in partisan politics.
"We live in a cynical time," he said, according to Axios. "Let's face it: I think a lot of the people who watch you, listen to you, who are fans of you — a lot of times they feel turned off by the political discourse."
"I get it," Obama told the group, also giving insight into his media consumption. "You know, I frankly watch sports, mostly. Because it feels like everything is slash and burn."
"But Joe Biden's basic trajectory — what he believes in his core ... nine times out of 10, he's going to make decisions that accord with your core beliefs," Obama said.
Biden's fundraiser in Los Angeles "has already raised over $28 million and counting — making it the biggest fundraiser in Democratic Party history," according to the Biden campaign.
The haul tops a fundraiser with Biden, Obama and former President Clinton in March at New York City's Radio City Music Hall, which raked in $26 million.
A New York Times/Siena College poll conducted in April found that former President Trump is cutting into Biden's lead among young voters. Biden's support among young voters has decreased by 14 points from his 2020 election performance to April.
The Biden campaign said it had no comment.
Fox News' Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.