The Obamas have finally given their endorsement for who they want to be the Democratic Party’s nominee for president.
Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama have endorsed Kamala Harris in her White House bid, shown in a video endorsement released Friday. While Harris had racked up a series of endorsements since President Joe Biden withdrew from his reelection bid after his debate performance and COVID diagnosis, Obama was the last prominent Democrat who hadn’t weighed in.
“Aw. Hi, you’re both together! Oh, it’s good to hear you both,” said the 59-year-old Vice President, who was shown taking the call as she walked backstage at an event, trailed by a Secret Service agent.
Michelle, 60, started off the phone call saying, “I can’t have this phone call without saying to my girl Kamala: I am proud of you. This is going to be historic.”
“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,” added Barack, 60.
It means so much to have your endorsements, @MichelleObama and @BarackObama.
Let’s get to work. pic.twitter.com/rAuTyIlCai
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) July 26, 2024
The message highlighted the friendship and potentially historic link 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 vying to break those barriers at the presidential rank.
Harris, who has known the Obamas since before his election in 2008, thanked them for their friendship and said she looks forward to “getting there, being on the road” with them in the three-month blitz before Election Day on Nov. 5.
“We’re gonna have some fun with this too, aren’t we?” Harris said.
The Democratic National Committee expects to hold a virtual nominating vote that would, by Aug. 7, make Harris and a yet-to-be-named running mate the official Democratic ticket.
After the 81-year-old President dropped out, Harris quickly secured enough delegates to the Democratic National Committee to become the presumptive Democratic nominee and coalesced the party’s establishment behind her bid.
While Obama held off while the party organized its new nomination process, he praised Biden for deciding to step aside.
“Joe Biden has been one of America’s most consequential presidents, as well as a dear friend and partner to me. Today, we’ve also been reminded – again – that he’s a patriot of the highest order,” Obama said on X after the President halted his run for reelection.
According to her campaign, Harris had raised $126 million in campaign contributions by Wednesday. The $100 million haul came from more than 1.1 million unique donors, including 62% first-time donors.
