Midterms 2018: Obama makes last ditch attempt to win Democrat votes in Virginia with rousing rally speech

Barack Obama: 'we have seen repeated attempts to divide us with rhetoric designed to make us angry and make us fearful'

Barack Obama is taking his star power to the campaign trail in a final push to get out the vote as Democrats seek to deliver a blow to Republicans and take control of at least one of the chambers of congress.

Having spent the weekend criss-criss-crossing the country and he exchanged barbs with his successor, Donald Trump, the 44th president made an eve of election day appearance in Fairfax, Virginia.

Speaking at the campaign office of senator Tim Kaine, Mr Obama said people had become disenchanted after his 2008 win and found that things did not “become perfect” overnight.

But he said that by electing people such as Mr Kaine and Jennifer Wexton, a Democratic candidate for congress, progress would be made.

“How we talk to each other gets better. Better is good. Better is a start,” he said. “When you do that everything is going to shine.”

Appearing over the weekend in Indiana and Illinois, Mr Obama attacked Republicans for “blatantly, repeatedly, baldly, shamelessly lying” about their efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act’s protections for those with pre-existing conditions. He also accused Trump of stoking fear over a group of migrants headed towards the US-Mexico border.

“America is at a crossroads. The character of our country is on the ballot,” he said.

This is how his appearance played out

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[5 November 2018 17:30 · Andrew Buncombe]

"Ok," says the former president, as he poses for a group photograph. "I'm not individual selfies or I will never get out of here."

[5 November 2018 17:32 · Andrew Buncombe]

Lots of people now shouting: "We miss you, we miss you."

[5 November 2018 17:57 · Andrew Buncombe]

Ok. Mr Obama has left the room. Thanks for following and see you soon.