Obama backs Harris for president in a flurry of party endorsement this week

Obama backs Harris for president in a flurry of party endorsement this week
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Just a few days after Vice President Kamala Harris announced her candidacy following President Joe Biden‘s withdrawal from the contest, former President Barack Obama backed her for president on Friday.

In a video that shows Harris receiving a call from the Obamas, Obama states, “Michelle and I are incredibly proud to support you and will stop at nothing to help you win this election and take the Oval Office.”

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In the minute-and-a-half video, Michelle Obama states: “I had to tell my girl Kamala, I’m proud of you, before I end this call. This will be recorded in history.”

Since Harris launched her candidacy on Sunday, Obama—the first Black president—and she have been in close communication. Four individuals acquainted with their conversations claim that he has been totally supportive of her candidacy in private. This information has been published by NBC News.

One of them remarked, “He has been keeping in touch with her and believes she’s off to a great start.”

According to three people familiar with the discussions, Obama and Harris’s aides have explored the possibility of the two of them appearing together on the campaign trail at some time.

Obama had backed Biden’s reelection campaign, but following his lackluster debate performance in late June, he expressed “concerns” about Biden’s chances in November.

Democrats swiftly united behind Harris for president after Biden announced on Sunday that he was out from the race.

Together, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Bill Clinton praised Harris in a statement released on Sunday.

In a statement issued the same day that Biden announced his candidacy, Obama commended Biden’s leadership as president and his lifelong commitment to public service, but he did not support Harris at that time.

Over the past 20 years, Harris and Obama have endorsed and campaigned together for a number of elected seats, which has resulted in an integration of their political careers. As a district attorney in San Francisco, Harris co-chaired Obama’s California campaign during his presidential bid as a senator. According to the San Francisco Chronicle at the time, she supported Obama during the race by going to his launch speech in Springfield, Illinois; going door-to-door in Iowa, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire; and attending his victory speech in Chicago’s Grant Park after he won the general election.

Harris declared she would run for California attorney general shortly after Obama’s victory in 2008, telling the Chronicle that Obama “has inspired a whole new group of voters, representing all age groups and demographics.” However, I want to speak with them because they are a lively group of people who are enthusiastic about the nation and want to get involved in it.

Obama supported Harris in her 2010 run for attorney general, which she won and served in for six years. Additionally, he produced a TV spot and supported Harris during her 2016 Senate campaign.

In 2009, Obama also proposed Tony West, a well-known Obama ally and Harris’ brother-in-law, to lead the Justice Department’s Civil Division. Later on in the Obama administration, he rose to the position of associate attorney general at the Justice Department.

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