In the most stinging rebuke of a sitting president by a former president, Barack Obama last night at the Democratic National Convention called out Donald Trump’s failure of leadership and blasted his inability to fulfill the basic minimum duties of the job, of protecting our democratic institutions.

Speaking from the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, former President Obama said, “For four years now, he has shown no interest in putting in the work, no interest in finding common ground, no interest in using the awesome power of his office to help anyone but himself and his friends. … Donald Trump hasn’t grown into the job, because he can’t.”

He noted that under Trump’s reign, over 170,000 Americans have died from the pandemic. Millions of jobs have been lost. Our reputation around the world has been tarnished. Trump has used his power to gas peaceful protesters, to vilify the press, to enrich his supporters.

“This president and those in power … know they can’t win you over with their policies, so they’re hoping to make it as hard as possible for you to vote, and to convince you that your vote does not matter. That is how they win. That is how they get to keep making decisions that affect your life, and the lives of the people you love. That’s how the economy will keep getting skewed to the wealthy and well-connected, how our health systems will let more people fall through the cracks. That’s how a democracy withers, until it’s no democracy at all. And we cannot let that happen.”

He emphasized the importance of voting for Joe Biden, his former vice president, on Nov. 3.

“He made me a better president, and he’s got the character and the experience to make us a better country.”

Watch for yourself.

At the very least, appreciate a president who can string complete sentences together. Know we can have someone like that again.