WASHINGTON: Former President Barack Obama made a surprise appearance Thursday at a progressive event in Washington, telling the crowd that American voters are rejecting the Trump agenda and offering hope that divisions within the Democratic party can be bridged.

“We had a good night on Tuesday,” Obama told the crowds that erupted in loud cheers as he began speaking at a taping event for the podcast “Pod Save America.”

“It was a good reminder that the American people are paying attention,” he said. “They don’t want cruelty. They are not looking for people on the top trying to entrench themselves in power.”