Obama appeals to male voters at rally in Pennsylvania

He slams Trump's character and proposals, asks men directly to support V-P Harris

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Former US president Barack Obama made a passionate case against Donald Trump on Oct 10 during a rally in Pennsylvania in which he appealed directly to men to reject Trump's bravado and back Vice-President Kamala Harris.

Mr Obama has been a vocal supporter of Ms Harris since she ascended to the top of the Democratic ticket after President Joe Biden stepped aside in July following a poor debate performance against Trump, the Republican former president.

Mr Obama, whose White House term ended in 2017, is still popular with his party's base.

The rally he headlined at the University of Pittsburgh, held while Ms Harris campaigned in Nevada and Arizona, is the first of several events he plans to do in coming weeks in battleground states which are likely to decide the election.

In remarks that lambasted Trump both for his character and his policy proposals, Mr Obama zeroed in on male voters, a constituency Ms Harris has struggled to win over.

“I'm sorry, gentlemen. I've noticed this especially with some men who seem to think Trump's behaviour, the bullying, and the putting people down is a sign of strength. I am here to tell you that is not what real strength is,” he said.

“Real strength is about helping people who need it and standing up for those who can't always stand up for themselves. That is what we should want for our daughters and for our sons.”

Before the rally, during a stop at a local campaign office, Mr Obama went a step further, suggesting black men were not supporting Ms Harris because of her gender.