The president’s case against Donald Trump

President Obama's final State of the Union speech was one part bragging over the accomplishments of his presidency (We saved the economy!),  one part suggestions for the next Democratic presidential nominee to run on(wage insurance for workers!),  and one big warning against electing Donald J. Trump to replace him.

In his remarks as prepared for delivery, Obama never mentioned the Republican presidential front-runner by name. But he critiqued Trump's pessimism on the economy, his gripes about America's lost standing in the world, and, above all, his stoking of discord against immigrants and refugees.

Here are several instances, in the prepared text, of Obama implicitly critiquing Trump. (Emphasis added):

This isn’t a matter of political correctness. It’s a matter of understanding what makes us strong.  The world respects us not just for our arsenal; it respects us for our diversity and our openness and the way we respect every faith.  His Holiness, Pope Francis, told this body from the very spot I stand tonight that “to imitate the hatred and violence of tyrants and murderers is the best way to take their place.”  When politicians insult Muslims, when a mosque is vandalized, or a kid bullied, that doesn’t make us safer.  That’s not telling it like it is.  It’s just wrong.  It diminishes us in the eyes of the world.  It makes it harder to achieve our goals.  And it betrays who we are as a country.- Read the Washingtonpost

The president’s case against Donald Trump

Obama looks back at legacy, takes veiled shots at Trump

Annotated transcript: What Obama said, what it meant - Read More