Obama: 'History will remember today’s violence at the Capitol, incited by a sitting president'

Former President Barack Obama admonished the violence that broke out at the Capitol in a now-viral Facebook post. In the post, he held sitting President Donald Trump responsible for inciting the vioelcne, implying that his "baseless lies" about the results of the 2020 Presidential election set off what can only be called a coup in Washington, DC. The Facebook post has since received over a million reactions, with thousands praising Obama for his strong words of condemnation after several weeks of more temperate responses to the President's claims. Obama also implored members of the Republican party to act quickly in order to quell the destruction, CNN reports.

"History will rightly remember today’s violence at the Capitol, incited by a sitting president who has continued to baselessly lie about the outcome of a lawful election, as a moment of great dishonor and shame for our nation," he wrote on Facebook. "But we’d be kidding ourselves if we treated it as a total surprise." Politicians, particularly those in the Democratic party, had forecasted violent protests far ahead of the incidents that took place on Wednesday. The United States Capitol Hill "siege," as it has been described, has so far left four people dead.

Obama continued, "For two months now, a political party and its accompanying media ecosystem [have] too often been unwilling to tell their followers the truth—that this was not a particularly close election and that President-elect Joe Biden will be inaugurated on January 20. Their fantasy narrative has spiraled further and further from reality, and it builds upon years of sown resentments. Now we’re seeing the consequences, whipped up into a violent crescendo." As is now common information, Biden won the recent Presidential elections by 74 electoral college votes, which is a rather large margin. The President-elect also swept up the popular vote, winning 51.4 percent of all votes.

Therefore, the former President urged Republican leaders to exercise their political will. "Right now, Republican leaders have a choice made clear in the desecrated chambers of democracy," Obama implored. "They can continue down this road and keep stoking the raging fires. Or they can choose reality and take the first steps toward extinguishing the flames. They can choose America." He did note, nonetheless, that some members of the President's party had already risen to the occasion: "I’ve been heartened to see many members of the President’s party speak up forcefully today. Their voices add to the examples of Republican state and local election officials in states like Georgia who’ve refused to be intimidated and have discharged their duties honorably."

"We need more leaders like these—right now and in the days, weeks, and months ahead as President-elect Biden works to restore a common purpose to our politics," he affirmed. "It’s up to all of us as Americans, regardless of party, to support him in that goal." In response, thousands of Facebook users appreciated Obama for his leadership, wisdom, and words of encouragement. Unlike other former Presidents, he has been an active part of the fight against Trump's attempts to convert the United States into a fascist dictatorship. As the Capitol goes into lockdown, the nation must move forward and build back better once Biden enters the White House.