"It did not start with Donald Trump," Obama said. Noting the history of former presidents avoiding the rough and tumble of politics, Obama acknowledged his sharp critique of Trump was something of a departure from tradition. Obama called Trump "the symptom, not the cause" of division and polarization in the U.S.Trump, meanwhile, claims he fell asleep watching Obama's speech. Trump said Obama was trying to take credit for this "incredible thing that's happening to our country." "In 2016, voters rejected President Obama's policies and his dismissiveness towards half the country," Republican National Committee spokesman Michael Ahrens said in response to the Friday speech.

Source: Economic Times September 07, 2018 18:56 UTC