ATLANTA.- Former US President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama have endorsed Kamala Harris as their presidential candidate, an expected but crucial endorsement of the country’s vice president by two of the country’s most popular Democrats.
The endorsement, announced Friday morning in a video showing Harris taking a phone call from the couple, came as Harris continues to gain support as the party’s presumptive nominee following President Joe Biden’s decision to drop out and endorse his No. 2 in the presidential race.
The Obamas’ gesture also underscored the friendship and possible historic connection between the nation’s first African-American president and the first woman, first African-American woman and first person of Asian descent to serve as vice president, who now hopes to break those same barriers in the presidency.
“We’re calling to say that Michelle and I couldn’t be more proud to support you and do everything we can to help you win this election and get to the Oval Office,” the former president told Harris, who was shown taking the call as she walked backstage at an event, followed by a Secret Service agent.
“I can’t have this call without saying to my friend, Kamala, I’m proud of you,” Michelle Obama said. “This is going to be historic.”
Harris, who has known the Obamas since before Barack Obama won the 2008 election, thanked them for their friendship and said she was looking forward to “being there, being on the road” with them during the three months of campaigning before Election Day on Dec. 5.
“We’re going to have fun with this, too, right?” Harris said.
The Obamas are perhaps the last prominent members of the party to officially endorse Harris, a reflection of the former president’s desire to remain, at least publicly, a party fixture above the fray. The Obamas remain a prodigious fundraising force and are popular keynote speakers at large rallies representing Democratic candidates.
According to an Associated Press poll, Harris already has the public support of a majority of delegates to the Democratic National Convention, which begins Aug. 19 in Chicago. The Democratic National Committee plans to hold a virtual vote on Aug. 7 that would make Harris and an as-yet-unannounced vice presidential hopeful its official candidates.
Source: With information from AP