ATLANTA (AP) — Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama have endorsed Kamala Harris in her White House bid, receiving the expected but crucial backing from the nation’s two most popular Democrats.
The endorsement was made public on Friday morning in a video showing Harris accepting a phone call from the former first couple. This endorsement comes as Harris gains momentum as the party’s likely nominee after President Joe Biden’s decision to end his reelection bid and endorse his second-in-command against Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump.
The endorsement underlines the friendship and potentially historic connection between the nation’s first Black president and the first woman, first Black woman, and first person of Asian descent to serve as vice president, who is now striving to break those same barriers at the presidential level.
“We called to say Michelle and I couldn’t be prouder to endorse you and do everything we can to get you through this election and into the Oval Office,” the former president told Harris, as she received the call while walking backstage at an event, followed by a Secret Service agent.
Michelle Obama added, “I can’t have this phone call without saying to my girl, Kamala, I am proud of you.
“This is going to be historic,” she emphasized.
Harris, who has known the Obamas since before his election in 2008, expressed gratitude for their friendship and expressed her excitement to “get there, be on the road” with them in the three-month sprint before Election Day on Nov. 5.
“We’re gonna have some fun with this too, aren’t we?” Harris added.
The Obamas are among the last major party figures to formally endorse Harris — a reflection of the former president’s desire to maintain, at least publicly, a position above the political fray. The Obamas remain important fundraising figures and popular surrogates at big campaign events for Democratic candidates.
According to an Associated Press survey, Harris has already received public support from a majority of delegates to the Democratic National Convention, which kicks off on Aug. 19 in Chicago. The Democratic National Committee plans to hold a virtual nominating vote that would officially make Harris and a yet-to-be-named running mate the Democratic ticket by Aug. 7.
Biden endorsed Harris just an hour after announcing his decision last Sunday to end his campaign due to concerns about his ability to defeat Trump. Other prominent party figures like former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Whip Jim Clyburn, former President Bill Clinton, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also endorsed Harris in the days that followed.
However, the Obamas were cautious as Harris secured delegate commitments, engaged with core Democratic groups, and raised over $120 million. This caution mirrors how the former president operated between Biden’s struggle against Trump in the debates and his eventual decision to end the campaign: Obama was a discernible presence but operated behind the scenes.
Barack Obama’s initial statement after Biden’s announcement did not mention Harris specifically. Rather, he spoke generally about selecting a nominee to succeed Biden: “I have full confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to choose an exceptional nominee,” the former president stated.
Both Obamas campaigned separately for Hillary Clinton in 2016 and for Biden in 2020, including holding large rallies on the weekends before Election Day. They delivered significant speeches at the 2020 Democratic convention, which was held virtually due to the pandemic. The former president’s speech was particularly notable as he strongly criticized Trump as a threat to democracy, a theme that remains part of Harris’ campaign.
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