Former President Barack Obama blasted Republicans for focusing on a joke over inflation on Wednesday, as rising prices remain a top voter concern in the closing days of the midterm campaign.
Obama Says GOP Is ‘Not Serious’ on Inflation
"They mobilized a whole-of-government response to that joke, not to inflation, but to that joke," Obama said at a campaign rally in Georgia.
He added, "This is what I mean when I say these are not serious people. They don’t have solutions to actual problems, so they’d rather have the media and you talking about the Cheesecake Factory."
The remarks responded to backlash over a joke Obama made at a recent Cleveland campaign stop. He said President Donald Trump’s White House renovations, reportedly worth $900 million, left the building "looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory." The line referenced the gold-adorned palaces of the former Iraqi leader.
Trump, Bessent Hit Back Over Cheesecake Factory Jab
Trump has overseen a Rose Garden overhaul, a new granite helipad and added gold décor at the White House. Speaking on his own midterm travel blitz, he called The Cheesecake Factory Inc. (NASDAQ:CAKE) "a very successful company" and Obama "a lousy president."
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also mocked Obama outside a Cheesecake Factory in Washington.
Obama referenced the episode at the rally, saying he "never thought of" having Tim Geithner, his own Treasury secretary, make a similar move.
During his recent address, Obama said the bigger problem is affordability. Prices have climbed so high that "a lot of folks can barely afford to go out to eat," he said, adding that the administration should be focused on that. He argued the White House "did not dispute" his claim that it is directly responsible for rising prices.
Rising prices are a major midterm issue for voters nationwide.
Obama raised related themes Saturday in Cleveland and Detroit. He framed the Nov. 3 midterms as a check on Trump. He also said Iran now has "veto power over the Strait of Hormuz," a key route for global crude oil.
In Georgia, Obama rallied for Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) and gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image via Shutterstock
© 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
