Former President Barack Obama stepped into controversy Thursday night while speaking to an audience in Pittsburgh. Addressing African-American men, he urged them to support Kamala Harris more vigorously—a call that took an odd turn when Obama made a joke about former President Donald Trump that left some cringing rather than laughing. In his attempt to rally enthusiasm for Harris, Obama veered into a discussion of diaper prices and reminisced about buying them after the birth of his daughter, Malia. Then, in an attempt to rib Trump, he asked, “You think Donald Trump ever changed a diaper?”
The crowd responded with laughs and shouts of “No chance!” But it was when one attendee cracked, “His own!” that Obama, with a smile, seemed tempted to take the joke further. He teased, “I almost said that! But I decided I shouldn’t.” The exchange drew chuckles in the room, but it didn’t play so well beyond the venue. Social media quickly reacted, and the backlash was swift. Some took aim at Obama’s choice to go low, reminding him of his wife Michelle’s famous line, “When they go low, we go high.” One Twitter user remarked, “They go low, and we go low. Sad that a lot of adults do have to wear and change their own diapers.”
In recent appearances, Obama has repeatedly invoked a no-holds-barred style when discussing Trump, sparing no opportunity for a jab. His joke Thursday night followed an ongoing pattern. Back at the Democratic National Convention in August, he poked fun at Trump’s hand size, playing into long-standing caricatures. But this latest attempt at humor didn’t resonate with everyone. After all, calling on African-American men to support Harris only to fall back on ageist jokes seemed to dilute his message rather than strengthen it.
To be sure, this isn’t Obama’s first rodeo in terms of poking fun at Trump, but the timing is curious. The former president was clearly aiming to drum up enthusiasm for Harris, whose popularity has struggled to reach Obama-era heights among Black voters. Yet instead of providing a compelling reason to rally behind Harris, Obama ended up sparking a debate over his own rhetoric.
As the election approaches, Democrats are focused on maintaining strong support from Black voters. But Obama’s quips about diapers and his dig at Trump might not be the motivational rallying cry they had hoped for. It’s a reminder that sometimes, humor can backfire—especially when it overshadows the message you’re there to deliver.
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