BARACK OBAMA has delivered a blistering critique of his successor, president Donald Trump, who he says is treating the presidency like a reality show.

The former US president slammed the country’s current leader during his speech at the third night of the Democratic National Convention.

“For close to 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; no more interest in treating the presidency as anything but one more reality show that he can use to get the attention he craves,” Obama said.

‘Concrete policies’

While Obama tore Trump down, he built up Biden, who served as vice president during his two terms in office.

“Twelve years ago when I began my search for a vice president I didn’t know that I’d end up finding a brother,” Obama said.

Obama credited Biden for making him a better president and said he would make the US a better country.

On senator Kamala Harris, Biden’s running mate and the first black and first South Asian woman to be on a presidential ticket, Obama said: “In my friend Kamala Harris, he’s chosen an ideal partner who is more than prepared for the job. Someone who knows what it’s like to overcome barriers and whose made a career fighting to help others live out their own American dream.”

Together Biden and Harris have “concrete policies that will turn their vision of a better, fairer, stronger country into reality,” Obama added.

Democracy

Delivering his speech from the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, Obama stood in front of an exhibit that prominently displayed the words “Writing the constitution”. Throughout his address, he repeatedly drove home the importance of democracy and voting.

“This president and those in power – those who benefit from keeping things the way they are – they are counting on your cynicism. They 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 doesn’t matter,” he said.

He urged American to get organised and make preparations to vote, warning that the country’s democracy was at stake.

“Do not let them take away your power. Don’t let them take away your democracy. Make a plan right now for how you are going to et involved and vote. Do it as early as you can,” he said.

Obama went on to say: “This administration has shown it will tear our democracy down if that’s what it takes for them to win. So we have to get busy building it up.”