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In a time of unrest, both because of the pandemic and because of the issue of systemic racism coming into play, many Americans are in mourning from the passing of civil rights leader John Lewis, including former president Barack Obama. Obama released a statement with his condolences and his tribute to the former Georgia lawmaker.
Obama released a statement via Medium, with his message about the passing of Lewis, who battled pancreatic cancer since being diagnosed seven months prior at 80 years old. “He loved this country so much that he risked his life and his blood so that it may live up to its promise,” wrote the former president. “And through the decades, he not only gave all of himself to the cause of freedom and justice but inspired generations that followed to try and live up to his example.”
The former president then recalled his encounters with the late civil rights leader. From his days as a law student to the day he was elected into the Senate, and on the day he was sworn into the presidency in 2008. “When I was elected President of the United States, I hugged him in the inauguration and told him I was only there because of the sacrifices he made. And through all those years, he never stopped providing wisdom and encouragement to me and Michelle and our family. We will miss him dearly.”
Lewis also had nothing but praise for the former president, and he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011. Prior to Obama’s inauguration, Lewis expressed how he wished his parents were around to witness Obama become the first African American to become President. “They would be so happy and so proud, and they would be so gratified.”
Meanwhile, Donald Trump has made his repeated accusation towards his predecessor and former vice president Joe Biden during a recent Fox News interview. Trump accused Obama and Biden of supposedly spying on his administration, without any evidence to back up his claim. Trump continued to insist that they committed treason, and said that if he were do something similar, he would face 50 years in prison.
This follows Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace questioning the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus, which has now seen over 140,000 Americans dead.
