US Elections 2024: Former US President Barack Obama ended days of speculation as he and Michelle Obama formally endorsed US Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee, saying that she has the "vision, character and the strength that this critical moment demands". The ex-President and his wife endorsed Harris, 59, over a one-minute long private phone call.
"We called to say Michelle and I couldn't be prouder to endorse you and to do everything we can to get you through this election and into the Oval Office," Obama told Harris over the phone call. "I cannot have this phone call without saying to my girl Kamala: I am proud of you. This is going to be historic," said Michelle Obama.
"Michelle, Barack, this means so much to me. I am looking forward to doing this with the two of you. Doug and I both... I just want to tell you that the words you have spoken and the friendship that you have given over all these years mean more than I can express. So thank you both. It means so much," Harris said in response to the endorsement.
Taking to X, Barack Obama said Harris will "make a fantastic President of the United States, and that she has our full support. At this critical moment for our country, we’re going to do everything we can to make sure she wins in November." His wife Michelle reiterated the same, lauding the Vice President's positivity, sense of humor, and ability to bring light and hope to people all across the country.
Harris's surprise bid against Republican rival Donald Trump continues to gain steam from supporters, donors and politicians less than a week after President Joe Biden bowed out of the race amid slumping poll numbers. Obama, the first US Black president, remains one of the most popular figures in the Democratic party even after more than a decade has passed since he was last elected.
Obama initially withheld his endorsement even as Biden, his former vice president, anointed her as his heir apparent. Obama reportedly did not want to put his thumb on the scale as the party worked through the process of determining its nominee. However, the latest show of support could activate and sustain energy and fundraising for Harris' campaign and he might get on the campaign trail once she becomes the official nominee of the Democratic Party.
Support for Kamala Harris grows
President Joe Biden, 81, announced on Sunday that he was withdrawing from the race and endorsed Harris as the Democratic Party's nominee, amid mounting pressure from top Democrats and donors following his disastrous debate against Trump last month. Harris noted that less than two days after Biden exited the race and endorsed his vice president, she had amassed enough support from the delegates to become the party’s presumptive nominee.
Harris’ campaign said it had collected a staggering $100 million between Sunday and Monday evening across all its fundraising committees – far surpassing the $53 million that Trump’s political operation touted raising after his May conviction in a Manhattan business fraud case. More than 1.1 million donors have contributed – with 62 per cent of them first-time givers this cycle, Harris’ campaign said.
Biden, 81, made his first address to the nation after abruptly pulling out of the US presidential race, where he said he revered the office, but asserted that democracy was at stake and it was more important than any title. The President further said the best way forward is to "pass the torch" to a new generation" and that he needed to unite the Democratic Party in a critical time when it saw deep divisions and was seemingly about to be swept by a Trump wave. She has also received the support of 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.
The Obamas campaigned separately for Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Biden in 2020, including large rallies on the closing weekends before Election Day. They delivered key speeches at the Democrats' convention in 2020, a virtual event because of the coronavirus pandemic. The former president's speech was especially notable because he unveiled a full-throated attack on Trump as a threat to democracy, an argument that endures as part of Harris' campaign.
(with inputs from agencies)
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