“If we had retained the Senate in 2014, we would have had a very different Supreme Court making decisions about our most basic rights. So the midterms are not funny,” Obama told a Democratic rally at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pa. The 2014 midterm elections were held during Obama’s second term, and Republicans swept the Senate and retained control of the House. Obama in 2016 nominated Attorney General Merrick Garland to serve on the Supreme Court to replace the late Antonin Scalia, a conservative justice. Senate Republicans refused to consider Garland and left the seat vacant until the Trump administration, when conservative Judge Neil Gorsuch filled the vacancy. The current conservative majority on the high court overturned Roe v. Wade this summer. “I can tell you from experience that the midterms matter a lot,” Obama said. “Some of you are very young, but let me refresh your memories or give you a history lesson. When I was president, I stuck my butt out in the midterms.” The former president talked about abortion rights throughout his remarks while rallying for Pennsylvania Democratic candidate John Fetterman and gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro. He criticizes Republican Senate candidate Mehmet Oz for saying during a debate that health care decisions should be made between women, doctors and local political leaders. “Really? You’re going to report the mayor? You’re calling the sheriff? City council members? SCHOOL BOARD? Who exactly is supposed to tell you when to have a family? You have to make that decision,” Obama said. “And if it’s not worth it 15 minutes of your time – the time it takes to vote – I don’t know what it is.” He also said Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano has said women who have abortions and doctors who perform abortions should be prosecuted. Watch live: Trump holds rally in Pennsylvania PGA Tour accuses Saudi golf patrons LIV of claiming legal immunity to avoid court battle “You deserve leaders who will stand up for a woman’s right to control her body and make her own health care decisions,” she said. Obama joined President Biden for the rally in Philadelphia on Saturday night, bringing his power to the Keystone State, where the Senate race could decide control of the upper house. The rally, just three days before the election, comes as Oz led Fetterman 48 percent to 46 percent among likely voters in a recent poll.
