Obama turns up with donuts to help Tim Kaine in Virginia in final intervention of the midterms

Former President Barack Obama surprised volunteers at one of Sen. Tim Kaine’s offices with donuts on Monday afternoon and made one last plea to voters to elect Democrats in the mid-term elections.  

Obama arrived to shocked faces and cheering, as he and Kaine entered the Fairfax, Virginia, event with boxes of donuts and a jug of apple cider.

‘Let me just say, these are specially approved by the chef, because she knows all of you have been working so hard,’ he said. ‘You’ve been movin’ so you’re allowed to have a little treat.’

Teasing his friend, Kaine told him in response, ‘Either this crowd likes you, or they like donuts.’

Former President Barack Obama surprised volunteers at one of Sen. Tim Kaine’s offices with donuts on Monday afternoon and made one last plea to voters to elect Democrats in the mid-term elections

Obama arrived to shocked faces and cheering, as he and Kaine entered the Fairfax, Virginia, event with boxes of donuts and a jug of apple cider

Obama arrived to shocked faces and cheering, as he and Kaine entered the Fairfax, Virginia, event with boxes of donuts and a jug of apple cider

Kaine and Obama have been friends since for more than a decade. The Virginia senator endorsed Obama for president in 2007 over future running-mate Hillary Clinton

Kaine and Obama have been friends since for more than a decade. The Virginia senator endorsed Obama for president in 2007 over future running-mate Hillary Clinton

The former president, who maintains a residence inside the nation's capital city, chanted 'Obama, Obama,' encouraging him to make remarks

The former president, who maintains a residence inside the nation’s capital city, chanted ‘Obama, Obama,’ encouraging him to make remarks

Kaine and Obama have been friends since for more than a decade. The Virginia senator endorsed Obama for president in 2007 over future running-mate Hillary Clinton. 

Obama returned the favor on Monday, appearing at an event just outside of Washington alongside Kaine and Virginia State Senator Jennifer Wexton. 

The former president, who maintains a residence inside the nation’s capital city, chanted ‘Obama, Obama,’ encouraging him to make remarks. ‘I know I brought donuts, but…’ he said trailing off.  

His voice was strained from the amount of campaigning he’s done over the past few days, visiting many of the same states as sitting President Donald Trump.   

Obama praised Wexton, a Democratic congressional candidate in Northern Virginia, as ‘part of this remarkable wave of candidates running across the country’ this cycle.

‘And Lord knows, we need more women in charge,’ he said to laughter.

He recalled that as Virginia’s governor, Kaine was the first significant elected official outside of his home state, Illinois, to endorse his candidacy for president. Obama said  it gave him a ‘head start’ in Virginia in 2008.

Obama beat Clinton out for the Democratic nomination that year.

The former president noted that it was 10 years ago on Sunday that he won the presidency, becoming the first African-American to hold the office.

‘One of the only problems of that glorious night, and we knew it, we could feel it….we worried a little bit about expectations,’ Obama said of the history-making election.

As a result of his election, he said he could tell that ‘there was a sense’ that America’s problems were in the past.

‘We worried a little bit that maybe folks just kind of,  just let go and said, OK, he’ll handle it, and then folks get disillusioned, and they feel like, OK, everything didn’t completely transform itself, so maybe hopes overrated, and so maybe we get mean and cynical, and maybe we just don’t vote at all.’

Obama said his supporters need to understand, ‘It’s a long race, making the world better. One election is not going to change everything.’

It could save someone’s life, though, he claimed, noting that healthcare’s on the ballot.

‘But most importantly the character of this country’s on the ballot. Who we are is on the ballot. What kind of politics we expect is on the ballot. How we conduct ourselves in public life is on the ballot. How we treat other people is on the ballot,’ he asserted.

Obama said he sees a ‘great awakening’ taking place. Americans who have taken their rights for granted are realizing that they have to vote to protect their values.

‘Of course we’re gonna expect basic decency and honesty and straight talk from folks in high office,’ he said. ‘And in that great awakening, I feel, hopeful. Tou guys make me feel hopeful.’

Kaine is currently running for re-election in Virginia against Republican challenger Corey Stewart. Wexton is challenging GOP Rep. Barbara Comstock in the 10th district. It’s a one of the bellwether districts of the election that could reshape the make-up of the legislative branch.

Wexton said she is running to ‘repeal and replace’ Comstock in Virginia. She joked that she’s ‘awed’ to be standing next to Kaine.

‘My campaign is not about gloom and doom. My campaign is about hope and change, and that’s what we need to get back to in this country,’ she said, pointing to Obama as she repurposed his 2008 campaign slogan.

Kaine said that ‘more than a blue wave’ on Tuesday, voters in his state need to send a message to the country and the world ‘that we are a nation of character and decency and compassion.’ 

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