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Obama Spends Election Eve Trying To Get Out The Vote In South Florida

Fmr. President Barack Obama campaigns for Joe Biden at Florida International University on Nov. 2, 2020.
Caitie Switalski Muñoz
/
WLRN
Former President Barack Obama campaigns for Joe Biden at Florida International University on Nov. 2, 2020.

Former President Barack Obama spoke to more than 460 people at a drive-in rally outside Florida International University Monday night campaigning for Joe Biden.

On the final night before Election Day 2020, former President Barack Obama took the stage outside Florida International University to hold one last — very windy — event in South Florida for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden's campaign.

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Nearly 250 cars drove to the ''Election Eve'' rally, which added up to more than 460 people.

Many got out of their cars to dance to pop and Spanish music ahead of Obama's speech. Daddy Yankee's "Gasolina" was popular with the crowd. Among the handful of 'Latinos For Biden' T-shirts there was a lone 'Cubanos Con Biden' shirt. Puerto Rican Singer/Songwriter Luis Fonzi took to the stage to speak ahead of Obama's arrival from Atlanta.

Miami-Dade Mayoral Candidate Daniella Levine Cava, left, and U.S. Reps. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, Donna Shalala, and Debbie Wasserman Schultz at a drive-in rally for the Biden/Harris campaign Nov. 2, 2020.
Caitie Switalski Muñoz
/
WLRN
Miami-Dade Mayoral Candidate Daniella Levine Cava, left, and U.S. Reps. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, Donna Shalala, and Debbie Wasserman Schultz at a drive-in rally for the Biden/Harris campaign Nov. 2, 2020.

Miami-Dade County mayoral candidate Daniella Levine Cava was one of the many political faces from the South Florida scene that warmed up the crowd ahead of Obama's speech. U.S. Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Donna Shalala and Debbie Mucarsel-Powell also gave short speeches, as did state Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried.

Levine Cava made her plea to rally goers in the final hours before the polls opened up.

"There are still some people out there sitting on the fence. 'What does my vote matter? Why should I vote?' You can get them to the polls, you can tell them what's at stake," she encouraged the crowd.

Obama had a similar message: Make a plan to vote, and take your friends and family who haven't voted yet, with you.

He also had some extra words specifically for South Floridians, discouraging them from listening to the attacks about Joe Biden being a socialist and communist.

"The reason I am back here South Florida, is because I know some of you have not voted yet," Obama said. "And here in South Florida you see these ads ... Joe, you'd think he was having coffee with [Fidel] Castro every morning. Don't fall for that."

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, Nikki Fried, greets voters at a drive-in rally for the Biden/Harris Campaign Nov. 2, 2020.
Caitie Switalski Muñoz
/
WLRN
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, Nikki Fried, greets voters at a drive-in rally for the Biden/Harris Campaign Nov. 2, 2020.

When Obama appeared at a rally in North Miami last weekend, he delivered much of the same message.

Obama criticized President Trump for his actions regarding the pandemic, the way he's handled the economy, and his lack of speaking out against extremist groups. However, every time the Democratic crowd would start to 'boo' Obama quickly put his hand up. "Don't boo — vote."

"Voting is not about making things perfect," he said. "It's about making things better."

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. You can drop off your vote-by-mail ballot if you still have one. Check the elections website in your county. Vote-by mail ballots cannot be delivered at precincts on Election Day.

Read More: How WLRN Plans To Cover The November 2020 Election

Caitie Muñoz, formerly Switalski, leads the WLRN Newsroom as Director of Daily News & Original Live Programming. Previously she reported on news and stories concerning quality of life in Broward County and its municipalities for WLRN News.
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