Obama, on the California front, joins the democratic battle to capture the house

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Barack Obama has come to the forefront of the Democratic battle to resume the Congress on Saturday, describing the upcoming elections as a pivotal moment for a divided nation and a chance to "restore health to our politics."

"If we do not act, things will get worse," Obama said at a rally in a state where Democrats hope to seize seven seats now occupied by Republicans. "Where there is a void in our democracy, when we do not participate, we do not pay attention, other voices fill the void."

Obama's appearance came a day after a criticism of President Trump in a speech in Illinois, continuing the extraordinary spectacle of a former president, a Democrat, directly confronting a sitting president, a Republican. The consecutive events, less than two months before the mid-term, left no doubt that Obama intends to play an active role as the campaigns enter their final weeks.

"The biggest threat to our democracy is not an individual," he told 700 people crammed into a ballroom. "He's not a super-PAC billionaire. It's apathy. It is indifference. We do not do what we are supposed to do.

Unlike his speech in Illinois, Mr. Obama did not mention Mr. Trump by name, although the subject of his bleak warnings about the nation was obvious to his audience – who welcomed him with cheers and shouts of "taking it back".

But right from the start of his 23-minute speech, Obama, wearing a white open-collar shirt, made it clear that he had set himself a different task: he was there to promote the Democrats' candidacies here and win prizes. Republican seats. To this end, he named seven California Democrats, offering brief and enthusiastic mentions, captured on the Democratic Party's cameras, and who will likely end up in candidate ads before long.

At the start of his support tour, Obama chose part of the nation, Orange County, rich in political symbols. The county was historically a conservative stronghold – the birthplace of Richard M. Nixon – which has undergone constant democratic change over the last decade. Hillary Clinton beat Mr. Trump here in 2016.

And five of the seven seats the Democrats will occupy are in Orange and San Diego Counties.

Obama 's decision to enter the fray is not without risks. As some Democrats acknowledge, this could very well energize Republican and Conservative voters, many in this part of the state, who have long opposed Obama.

But he made it clear that his main goal on Saturday was to bring Democrats and Independents, who make up a large bloc of voters, in November.

"All over the country, you can lose energy," Obama said. "People say that's enough. We take off our room slippers and we wear our walking shoes.