Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed once called Barack Obama a failure who “perpetuated war” and deported more people than any president before him, and now he’s counting on Obama to save his campaign.
Story Snapshot
- CNN’s KFile unit found years of public criticism El-Sayed aimed at Obama’s presidency.
- A 2012 essay accused Obama of war, civil liberties violations, and record deportations.
- Obama is set to campaign with El-Sayed in Detroit on October 24.
- El-Sayed says the criticism was policy disagreement, not personal hostility.
- Michigan Republicans are using the old clips to question his consistency.
Years of Harsh Words Resurface
CNN’s KFile unit found that El-Sayed spent years attacking Obama’s record in office. In a 2012 HuffPost essay, he wrote that Obama “perpetuated war, violated our civil liberties, deported more people from our shores than any other president before him, and the list of his failures goes on.”
El-Sayed said the country was no better off after Obama’s two terms, even though he voted for him twice. He called that choice the “lesser of two evils” at the time. The remarks are now drawing fresh attention just as Obama prepares to stand beside him on stage.
El-Sayed Says Disagreement, Not Disrespect
In other interviews, El-Sayed softened his tone. He said he could disagree with “many” of Obama’s decisions while still viewing him as “competent, coherent, and committed to Americans.” He described Obama’s record as “fairly centrist, middle-of-the-road Democratic policies,” a label placing himself to Obama’s left rather than against him.
El-Sayed told Vox in 2017 he thought Obama wasn’t tough enough on health care, big banks, campaign finance reform, or immigration. Commentators say his comments fit a wider pattern of progressive Democrats openly revisiting and criticizing the Obama era even while running for office.
Why Obama Is Showing Up Anyway
Despite that history, Obama is scheduled to join El-Sayed on the campaign trail in Detroit on October 24, alongside Michigan governor candidate Jocelyn Benson, as Democrats fight to hold an open Senate seat. El-Sayed’s campaign calls Obama “one of the first politicians who inspired me to believe there was a place in politics for people like me.”
El-Sayed has said he spoke directly with Obama after a bruising Democratic primary that exposed real splits between the party’s progressive and moderate wings. He called the call “warm and inviting” and said internal divisions are “so much smaller than the similarities that we share.”
A Pattern Bigger Than One Candidate
The resurfaced clips land at an awkward moment, days before the two men share a stage together. For voters on both sides, the episode is a reminder that political alliances often get rewritten once standing together becomes useful. Michigan Republicans have mocked the pairing, betting the contrast between past words and present friendliness will stick with undecided voters this fall.
The dispute reflects a wider pattern: candidates often recast old criticism as simple policy disagreement once party unity matters more than ideological purity. Whether voters see honesty or convenience in that shift could shape turnout in a race both parties view as critical to control of the Senate.
Former President Obama is set to hit the campaign trail with Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed — yet @KFILE found El-Sayed had spent years blasting Obama over deportations, civil liberties and war. pic.twitter.com/XgqhHQmuiW
— John (@Jongweongs) October 8, 2026
Neither Obama’s office nor El-Sayed’s campaign has disputed that the old quotes are authentic. The disagreement now is purely about what they mean heading into a tight November contest.
Sources:
twitchy.com, cnn.com, politico.com, jpost.com, wionews.com, abdulforsenate.com
