Obama Slams Trump's Cruelty and Chaos in Midterm Pitch

Former President Barack Obama mocked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and criticized the Iran war at a Cleveland rally Saturday. He called the Trump administration "not serious people."

• Obama campaigned for Senate candidate Sherrod Brown and gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton.
• 21 U.S. troops have died in Iran operations, the Pentagon says.
• 865 service members have been wounded, according to the Pentagon.
• Obama mocked Hegseth's grooming and focus on troops' jawlines and testosterone.

Why it matters: Obama tied higher oil, diesel and consumer prices to the Iran war and Trump's tariffs. Democrats are pressing cost of living as a closing midterm message.

• Hegseth ordered annual testosterone screenings for troops 30 and older in July.
• Trump has called the conflict a military exercise, not a war.

How 42 sources split on this story

Where they split: Coverage divides on emphasis: Raw Story centers Obama's personal jabs at Hegseth, while Newsweek centers his policy case on the Iran war and prices.

What’s next: Obama heads to Michigan Saturday evening as Trump holds a Georgia rally. Early voting is underway ahead of Nov. 3.

• Cook projected Democrats gaining 9 to 19 House seats, enough for a majority.
• Democrats need a net gain of four Senate seats for control.
• Whether the White House or Pentagon will respond to Obama's remarks.
• Whether Obama's message on prices moves voters in Ohio's close Senate race.