Anthony Grady waited for more than an hour in a blocks-long line to hear President Obama speak on Thursday at Florida International University. The president was campaigning for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, but Grady said he was more interested in the president's legacy than his campaign message.
"I’m sort of a pessimist; we may not see another African-American president for a while," Grady said.
He attended with Kyndall Pritchard; they’re both from Coral Springs. They say Obama’s been an inspiring leader, but that things haven’t improved that much for African-Americans during his time in office. Home ownership and labor force participation have decreased among African-Americans since Obama took office in 2008.
And, Grady and Pritchard say, there’s been a backlash to having a black president. "Racism is more blatant. People feel free to be more blatant," Pritchard said.
Grady agreed. "Things that have happened during his presidency, you haven’t seen them in the previous 43 presidents."
They say they think if Hillary Clinton’s elected, women in America could experience a similar backlash.
"The misogyny and the lack of respect for women is even starting to come forward now... as it’s being placed towards Hillary," Pritchard said. "It’s almost like it’s a white man’s world and they have a right to do what they want."
President Obama returns to Florida on Sunday, campaigning for Clinton in Kissimmee.
