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Was Obama's rhetoric as violent as Trump's? Fox News slammed for comparison: 'That hope stuff was terrifying'

The news outlet showed Obama speaking to a campaign crowd in 2008 as an examples of Democrats using their speeches to stir up violence among their bases in the past

Fox News was incessantly mocked on Twitter after they featured a picture of former President Barack Obama in one of their news segments where they were talking about "Democrats' history of violent rhetoric."  While discussing former President Donald Trump's upcoming impeachment trial, where he is being accused of inciting an insurrection against the government which saw his supporters storming the US Capitol building on January 6, leaving 5 dead, the right-leaning news outlet tried to pick out examples of Democratic leaders who similarly used their speeches to stir up violence among their bases in the past. One such example pulled up by the outlet was that of Obama, speaking to a campaign crowd in Austintown, Ohio back in 2008. 

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The moment of the segment was screenshot and uploaded on Twitter by Vox journalist Aaron Rupar with the caption, "Yes, that well known incendiary orator, Obama."

Soon a number of reactions trickled in, most of them ridiculing the screenshot because Obama ran his presidential campaign on restoring 'hope.' "I mean, if they want us to get as violent as them, I'd be happy to oblige," one of them said, while another wrote, "Awe, the jealousy!" The next commented, "Doesn’t matter if it makes sense. Their base of cultists will believe it. It’s all about misinformation now." A commenter tweeted, "That 'hope' stuff was terrifying." 

Another wrote, "How dare he see his imaginary son in Trayvon Martin! What will he do next? Sing Amazing Grace and say Merry Christmas?! Who does he think he is? A Christian?!!" One more added, "Fox News whataboutism." The next commented, "We can add that to the list along with the tan suit." The next said, "Really & truly need to get them off the airwaves..they continue to contribute hate & discord." Another said, "His mere existence sets their hair on fire." A person wrote, "Good Lord. Oh all the memories of Obama driving people to insurrection. Fox is feeling the ratings loss from OAN & NewsMax & trying to catch up. This was Obama." Another quipped, "Yes, the incendiary rhetoric is definitely what earned him the nickname 'No Drama Obama.'"

What Obama actually said in 2008

In the Ohio rally from decades ago, what Obama actually did was merely diss his-then GOP opponent, former Senator John McCain (R-AZ). "John McCain wants to talk about Paris Hilton and Britney Spears," Obama told the audience in the gym at Austintown Fitch High School near Youngstown. "That's his idea of a really relevant campaign, but I don't have time to deal with all that mess because Americans are facing some serious challenges."

At the time, former Governor of Ohio, Ted Strickland, touted Obama's technique of turning an opponent's strength into a liability: "Barack Obama does have the ability to stir up hope and excitement and enthusiasm and they know that, so they're going to try to take that strength and somehow turn it into some kind of negative," he said.