--- title: Barack Obama: Swamp of Crazy Speech Transcript description: President Obama tied Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump to the Republican Party, arguing that they have a "swamp of crazy." canonical: https://time.com/4531245/barack-obama-swamp-crazy-speech-transcript/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-10-14T14:13:40.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-07T06:50:44.938Z article:section: Politics og:title: Read President Obama's 'Swamp of Crazy' Speech About GOP og:description: "This is in the swamp of crazy that has been fed over and over." og:url: https://time.com/4531245/barack-obama-swamp-crazy-speech-transcript/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt51b18a9fe6b6fb14/6988aa09e20a8710f0a92c95/gettyimages-614385926-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 594 og:image:height: 334 og:image:alt: US President Barack Obama delivers remarks at an event for the Ohio Democratic Party and Governor Ted Strickland in Columbus, Ohio, October 13, 2016. og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Read President Obama's 'Swamp of Crazy' Speech About GOP twitter:description: "This is in the swamp of crazy that has been fed over and over." twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt51b18a9fe6b6fb14/6988aa09e20a8710f0a92c95/gettyimages-614385926-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Read President Obama's 'Swamp of Crazy' Speech About Republicans > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=d827098a-93f8-4db0-ad8a-e69f13c30a8a&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: President Obama Blasts Republicans [Watch (HLS stream): President Obama Blasts Republicans](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/I7xAclKW.m3u8) (2:03)  _Published 2016-10-14. The president also criticized the recent spate of Republican leaders who have disavowed Trump_ by [Ryan Teague Beckwith](https://time.com/author/ryan-teague-beckwith/) ## Ryan Teague Beckwith Oct 14, 2016 2:13 PM UTC The president also criticized the recent spate of Republican leaders who have disavowed Trump by [Ryan Teague Beckwith](https://time.com/author/ryan-teague-beckwith/) ## Ryan Teague Beckwith Oct 14, 2016 2:13 PM UTC President Obama tied Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump to the Republican Party, arguing that they have long fed voters a “swamp of crazy” at a campaign event in Columbus, Ohio. “This is in the swamp of crazy that has been fed over and over and over and over again,” he said. “Look, I—and there’s sort of a spectrum, right—it’s a whole kind of ecosystem. And look, if I watched Fox News I wouldn’t vote for me.” Read a complete transcript below. --- > “” --- ## Transcript It's a choice between somebody who is as qualified as has ever been. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] To run for this office. Somebody who's over and over proven that they know how to lead and know how to work and Understand the issues that working families are facing. That's on the one hand and then on the other hand you got somebody who each and everyday, every times he talks proves himself unfit and unqualified for the the service. If your only agendas are the negatives, negatives [ UNKNOWN ], crazy. [ LAUGH ] Based on lies, based on hoaxes, this is the nominee you get. The problem is, is that they've been riding this tiger for a long time. They've been feeding their base all kinds of crazy for years. They know better. A lot of these folks who ran and they didn't say anything. And so they don't get credit, [ BLANK_AUDIO ] For, at the very last minute, when finally the guy that they nominated and they endorsed and they supported, is caught on tape Saying things that no decent person would even think much less say, much less brag about, much less laugh about, or joke about, much less act on, yet can't wait until that finally happens. And then say that's too much. That's enough. And think that some how you are showing any kind of leadership and deserve to be elected to the United States Senate. 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