Obama blasts 'politics of division' on return to campaign trail(Reuters) - Former President Barack Obama, back on the campaign trail on Thursday for the first time since he left the White House, called on voters to reject a growing “politics of division” that he said was corroding American democracy. Without mentioning Republican President Donald Trump by name, Obama told campaign rallies in New Jersey and Virginia that voters could send a powerful message about the type of politics they want by backing Democrats in Nov. 7 elections in the two states. “What we can’t have is the same old politics of division that we have seen so many times before, that dates back centuries,” Obama told a cheering crowd in Newark, New Jersey, that chanted: “Four more years.” “Some of the politics we see now, we thought we put that to bed. That’s folks looking 50 years back,” Obama said. “It’s the 21st century, not the 19th century.” At a later stop in Richmond, Virginia, Obama said modern politics increasingly did not reflect basic American values of inclusiveness and were driving people away from the process. “We’ve got folks who are deliberately trying to make folks angry, to demonize people who have different ideas, to get the base all riled up because it provides a short-term tactical advantage. Sometimes that feels frustrating,” Obama said. Many of Obama’s comments appeared to be thinly veiled swipes at Trump, whose combative style and inflammatory rhetoric have led to frequent controversy and stoked political tensions. Obama made the remarks just hours after former President George W. Bush, a Republican, also took an indirect swing at Trump with a speech decrying “bullying and prejudice” while defending immigrants and trade.  Obama’s appearances were aimed at driving up Democratic turnout in New Jersey and Virginia, the only two states holding elections for governor this year. Democrats hope Obama can bring some of the young, minority and infrequent voters who powered his two elections to the White House out to the polls in off-year elections. The two contests will be closely watched to see if Democrats can convert the grassroots resistance to Trump into electoral wins after falling short earlier this year in four competitive special congressional elections. The governor’s races, and a special election in December for a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama, could offer clues to the national political mood ahead of next year’s congressional elections, when all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 33 of the Senate’s 100 seats will be up for grabs. Republicans currently control both chambers. Since leaving the White House in January, Obama has frequently been forced to defend his record as Trump and Republicans have tried to gut his signature healthcare law and roll back his immigration and environmental policies. While he has rarely spoken out about politics in the past nine months, Obama said it was critical that supporters get their friends and families to vote. In Newark, he said no one should assume victory just because opinion polls show Phil Murphy, a former investment banker and U.S. ambassador to Germany, has a comfortable lead on Republican opponent Kim Guadagno, the state’s lieutenant governor. “I don’t know if you all noticed that, but you can’t take any election for granted,” he said in a reference to Democrat Hillary Clinton’s surprise loss last year in the presidential race. In the political battleground of Virginia, polls show a close contest between Democrat Ralph Northam, the state’s lieutenant governor, and Republican Ed Gillespie, a former Republican National Committee chairman who has been endorsed by Trump. Obama carried Virginia in both 2008 and 2012, and Democrat Hillary Clinton won the state over Trump by 5 percentage points in 2016. politicsNews
obama blasts division return campaign trail reuters former president barack obama back campaign trail thursday first time since left white house called voters reject growing politics division said borrowing american democracy without mentioning republican president donald trump name obama told campaign rallies new jersey virginia voters could send powerful message type politics want backing democrats elections two states what old politics division seen many times dates back centuries obama told cheering crowd newark new jersey chanted four some politics see thought put bed that folks looking years back obama said it century at later stop richmond virginia obama said modern politics increasingly reflect basic american values inclusiveness driving people away process we got folks deliberately trying make folks angry demonic people different ideas get base ruled provides tactical advantage sometimes feels frustrating obama said many obama comments appeared thinly veiled sites trump whose combative style inflammatory rhetoric led frequent controversy stored political tensions obama made remarks hours former president george bush republican also took indirect swing trump speech decaying bullying prejudice defending immigrants trade obama appearances aimed driving democratic turnout new jersey virginia two states holding elections governor year democrats hope obama bring young minority infrequent voters powered two elections white house polls elections the two contests closely watched see democrats convert grassroots resistance trump electoral wins falling short earlier year four competitive special congressional elections the governor races special election december senate seat alabama could offer clues national political mood ahead next year congressional elections seats house representatives senate seats grabs republicans currently control chambers since leaving white house january obama frequently forced defend record trump republicans tried gut signature healthcare law roll back immigration environmental policies while rarely spoken politics past nine months obama said critical supporters get friends families vote in newark said one assume victory opinion polls show phil murphy former investment banker ambassador germany comfortable lead republican opponent kim guadagno state lieutenant governor i know noticed take election granted said reference democrat hillary clinton surprise loss last year presidential race in political battleground virginia polls show close contest democrat ralph north state lieutenant governor republican ed gillespie former republican national committee chairman endorsed trump obama carried virginia democrat hillary clinton state trump percentage points politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Obama blasts 'politics of division' on return to campaign trail(Reuters) - Former President Barack Obama, back on the campaign trail on Thursday for the first time since he left the White House, called on voters to reject a growing “politics of division” that he said was corroding American democracy. Without mentioning Republican President Donald Trump by name, Obama told campaign rallies in New Jersey and Virginia that voters could send a powerful message about the type of politics they want by backing Democrats in Nov. 7 elections in the two states. “What we can’t have is the same old politics of division that we have seen so many times before, that dates back centuries,” Obama told a cheering crowd in Newark, New Jersey, that chanted: “Four more years.” “Some of the politics we see now, we thought we put that to bed. That’s folks looking 50 years back,” Obama said. “It’s the 21st century, not the 19th century.” At a later stop in Richmond, Virginia, Obama said modern politics increasingly did not reflect basic American values of inclusiveness and were driving people away from the process. “We’ve got folks who are deliberately trying to make folks angry, to demonize people who have different ideas, to get the base all riled up because it provides a short-term tactical advantage. Sometimes that feels frustrating,” Obama said. Many of Obama’s comments appeared to be thinly veiled swipes at Trump, whose combative style and inflammatory rhetoric have led to frequent controversy and stoked political tensions. Obama made the remarks just hours after former President George W. Bush, a Republican, also took an indirect swing at Trump with a speech decrying “bullying and prejudice” while defending immigrants and trade.  Obama’s appearances were aimed at driving up Democratic turnout in New Jersey and Virginia, the only two states holding elections for governor this year. Democrats hope Obama can bring some of the young, minority and infrequent voters who powered his two elections to the White House out to the polls in off-year elections. The two contests will be closely watched to see if Democrats can convert the grassroots resistance to Trump into electoral wins after falling short earlier this year in four competitive special congressional elections. The governor’s races, and a special election in December for a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama, could offer clues to the national political mood ahead of next year’s congressional elections, when all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 33 of the Senate’s 100 seats will be up for grabs. Republicans currently control both chambers. Since leaving the White House in January, Obama has frequently been forced to defend his record as Trump and Republicans have tried to gut his signature healthcare law and roll back his immigration and environmental policies. While he has rarely spoken out about politics in the past nine months, Obama said it was critical that supporters get their friends and families to vote. In Newark, he said no one should assume victory just because opinion polls show Phil Murphy, a former investment banker and U.S. ambassador to Germany, has a comfortable lead on Republican opponent Kim Guadagno, the state’s lieutenant governor. “I don’t know if you all noticed that, but you can’t take any election for granted,” he said in a reference to Democrat Hillary Clinton’s surprise loss last year in the presidential race. In the political battleground of Virginia, polls show a close contest between Democrat Ralph Northam, the state’s lieutenant governor, and Republican Ed Gillespie, a former Republican National Committee chairman who has been endorsed by Trump. Obama carried Virginia in both 2008 and 2012, and Democrat Hillary Clinton won the state over Trump by 5 percentage points in 2016. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: obama blasts division return campaign trail reuters former president barack obama back campaign trail thursday first time since left white house called voters reject growing politics division said borrowing american democracy without mentioning republican president donald trump name obama told campaign rallies new jersey virginia voters could send powerful message type politics want backing democrats elections two states what old politics division seen many times dates back centuries obama told cheering crowd newark new jersey chanted four some politics see thought put bed that folks looking years back obama said it century at later stop richmond virginia obama said modern politics increasingly reflect basic american values inclusiveness driving people away process we got folks deliberately trying make folks angry demonic people different ideas get base ruled provides tactical advantage sometimes feels frustrating obama said many obama comments appeared thinly veiled sites trump whose combative style inflammatory rhetoric led frequent controversy stored political tensions obama made remarks hours former president george bush republican also took indirect swing trump speech decaying bullying prejudice defending immigrants trade obama appearances aimed driving democratic turnout new jersey virginia two states holding elections governor year democrats hope obama bring young minority infrequent voters powered two elections white house polls elections the two contests closely watched see democrats convert grassroots resistance trump electoral wins falling short earlier year four competitive special congressional elections the governor races special election december senate seat alabama could offer clues national political mood ahead next year congressional elections seats house representatives senate seats grabs republicans currently control chambers since leaving white house january obama frequently forced defend record trump republicans tried gut signature healthcare law roll back immigration environmental policies while rarely spoken politics past nine months obama said critical supporters get friends families vote in newark said one assume victory opinion polls show phil murphy former investment banker ambassador germany comfortable lead republican opponent kim guadagno state lieutenant governor i know noticed take election granted said reference democrat hillary clinton surprise loss last year presidential race in political battleground virginia polls show close contest democrat ralph north state lieutenant governor republican ed gillespie former republican national committee chairman endorsed trump obama carried virginia democrat hillary clinton state trump percentage points politicsnews