(Bloomberg) -- Barack Obama will join a virtual event rallying Black men to support Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential bid, the latest effort by the former president to shore up the critical bloc amid Democrats’ growing concern that rival Donald Trump may be winning over men of color ahead of Election Day.
Obama, who plans to appear with Harris in Georgia on Thursday, is slated to participate in a discussion with the Win With Black Men political action committee on Sunday evening, according to an advisory shared with Bloomberg News.
The former president’s attendance comes amid controversy over his pointed comments to Black men during a stop in Pennsylvania this month, where he questioned low enthusiasm in the community, specifically among individuals with “all kinds of reasons and excuses” not to support Harris.
A New York Times/Siena College poll conducted from Sept. 29 to Oct. 6 found that former President Trump has made gains with Black and Latino voters compared to past GOP presidential candidates, particularly among young men.
“Part of it makes me think that, ‘Well, you just aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president,’” Obama said at a Pittsburgh campaign office. “I’ve got a problem with that.”
The organization’s first-ever call supporting Harris raised $1.3 million for her campaign and allied organizations, according to spokesperson Michael Ceraso, while drawing 53,000 participants. It was inspired by a similar convening of 44,000 Black women that has since sparked several imitators from different groups organizing for Harris.
While Harris has said she appreciates Obama’s support and wants to earn the vote of Black men, some critics said the former president’s comments assumed the voters should be loyal to Democrats.
Harris released an economic-focused agenda specifically targeted toward Black men, which includes a plan to offer 1 million forgivable loans worth up to $20,000 for entrepreneurs and a vow to support a predictable regulatory environment for cryptocurrency owners.
Commentator Roland Martin, former Democratic National Committee vice chair Michael Blake and Win With Black Men executive director Khalil Thompson are expected to join Sunday’s call with Obama, Ceraso said. The former president is ranked the second-most popular figure in the Democratic party, according to YouGov’s third-quarter polling.
Other prominent Black men have joined past Win With Black Men calls, including Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock, civil-rights attorney Ben Crump and top Harris campaign officials.
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