Former President Barack Obama called Philonise Floyd, the brother of George Floyd, and offered his support and condolences shortly before Floyd’s memorial service.
According to The New York Times, former Vice President Joe Biden also called Floyd’s brother, who asked the Democratic nominee for the 2020 Presidential Election for “justice.”
“I never had to beg a man before, but I asked [Biden] could he please, please get justice for my brother, please,” Philonise told the Times about their conversation. “Because I need it, I just don’t want to see him on a shirt like those other guys. Nobody deserves that.”
The discussion Philonise had with Obama and Biden were significantly different from the one he had with Trump.
“It was so fast. He didn’t give me the opportunity
to even speak. It was hard,” Philonise told the Times about the call. “I was trying to talk to him, but he just kept like pushing me off like ‘I don’t want to hear what you’re talking about.’ I just told him I want justice. I said that I can’t believe that they committed a modern-day lynching in broad daylight.”“
I can’t stand for that, that hurt me. I just don’t understand, man. Why we have to go through this? Why we gotta have all this pain, man? I love my brother. I’m never going to see him again,” Philonise added.Obama has been forced to come into the spotlight recently due to the turmoil Americans are facing in 2020. Since the coronavirus pandemic hit U.S. shores, which Trump called a Democratic hoax in February, Obama has given public comments on the pandemic, addressed HBCU and high school graduates in a virtual commencement speech, and discussed the death of George Floyd.
Many have seen Obama’s presence as a calming one during turbulent times. A poll in April showed the majority of Americans would rather have Obama handle the coronavirus response.The Times story also mentions Obama wanted to leave the political spectrum entirely after his eight years as president. However, he has been drawn back in by Trump’s intent to destroy his legacy and the progress the country has made during his term.