Count the Obamas in. Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama have publicly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in her bid for the presidency. The endorsement came in a video released on Friday.
“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 during a phone call that included his wife.
Harris expressed her deep gratitude for the support and the long-standing friendship with the Obamas.
“Oh my goodness. Michelle, Barack, this means so much to me. I’m looking forward to doing this with the two of you, Doug and I both. And getting out there, being on the road,” she said. “But most of all, I just want to tell you 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. And we’re gonna have some fun with this too, aren’t we?”
Michelle Obama shared her pride in Harris and her anticipation of a historic election.
“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 said. Watch below:
Earlier this week, Michelle and I called our friend @KamalaHarris. We told her we think she’ll 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… pic.twitter.com/0UIS0doIbA
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 26, 2024
In a joint statement, the Obamas praised Harris’s qualifications and character.
“But Kamala has more than a resume,” they stated. “She has the vision, the character, and the strength that this critical moment demands. There is no doubt in our mind that Kamala Harris has exactly what it takes to win this election and deliver for the American people.”
They added, “At a time when the stakes have never been higher, she gives us all reason to hope.”
Harris, who is expected to be the Democratic nominee, has been in regular contact with Obama. He has been offering her advice as he has throughout their 20-year friendship, a source told CNN.
Obama did not endorse Harris immediately after President Joe Biden announced he would not seek reelection on Sunday.
“I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges,” Obama said in a statement at the time.
According to a source, Obama believed it was important for the Democratic Party to have a proper selection process for their new nominee. An adviser to Obamas said that he was taking a similar approach to the one he took during the 2020 Democratic primary, monitoring the process closely with the intent to unify the party once a nominee was chosen, whether it was Harris or another candidate. His initial statement was meant to keep the focus on Biden, his former vice president, on the day Biden announced he would not seek a second term.
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Obama had previously supported Biden’s reelection efforts, attending fundraisers, participating in discussions, and encouraging supporters to donate.
The Democratic Party is moving quickly to nominate Harris, with rules adopted on Wednesday to choose their presidential nominee. Voting is expected to begin on August 1.
The convention, scheduled for August 19 to 22 here in Chicago, will include ceremonial votes for president and vice president, as well as a vote on the party platform. The presidential vote will be a roll call, while the vice presidential vote is expected to be a voice vote.
Harris has not yet chosen a running mate. As previously reported by CNN, a team of lawyers and advisers is conducting a rapid search for a vice presidential candidate, with the goal of announcing a nominee before August 7.
