Washington, Jul 26 (PTI) Kamala Harris will be a “fantastic President of the United States,” former president Barack Obama said on Friday, as he and his wife Michelle endorsed the US Vice President and vowed to do “everything we can” to enable her to win the high-stakes election against Donald Trump in November.
Harris, 59, launched her presidential campaign last week hours after President Joe Biden withdrew from the race for a second term. She is, however, yet to be officially declared as the presidential candidate by the Democrats.
Obama hadn’t immediately endorsed Harris following President Biden’s announcement on Sunday but on Friday released a video to support the Vice President, who if elected, would be the first female president.
With Obama’s endorsement, Harris, who is of Indian and African origin, has secured support from all major Democrats and party leaders in Congress, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
In the 55-second video — an endorsement that will give a big boost to Harris’ presidential campaign — the former president and first lady called on the Americans to join them in getting to work to elect Harris and gave their full-throated support and commitment to doing everything they can to make her the next president of the United States.
Releasing the video on X, Obama, 62, said in a post with it: “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 November. We hope you’ll join us.” “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,” the 62-year-old former first Black president told Harris on a phone call joined by his wife.
If elected on November 5 to succeed President Biden, Harris – the daughter of a Jamaican father and an Indian mother – would not only be the first woman, but the first Indian-American, the first Asian, the first Black woman and the first person of Jamaican descent to ascend to the office.
Media reports said Obama and Harris have been in regular contact since Biden announced his decision to drop out.
In a joint statement announcing the endorsement, the Obamas praised Harris, whom the US media said they have known for 20 years.
“(But) Kamala has more than a resume. 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,” the statement said.
“At a time when the stakes have never been higher, she gives us all reason to hope,” it added.
Michelle, the former first lady, said she is proud of Harris and expects the upcoming election to be historic.
“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 told Harris in the video.
“We know over the next few months, Kamala will continue to make her case directly to the American people — Democrats, Republicans, and independents alike. As she does, she will have our full support — and we look forward to watching her unite our party and our country around a vision for a brighter, fairer, more prosperous future,” they said.
Harris thanked the Obamas for their support and expressed gratitude for their decadeslong friendship.
“I’m looking forward to doing this with the two of you, Doug (Douglas Emhoff) and I both. And getting out there, being on the road,” Harris said.
Meanwhile, no other Democrats have announced their candidacy for the presidential race. Harris has secured endorsements from more than 40 state delegations, surpassing the number of delegates she will need to win the nomination and if that support holds, Democrats will officially nominate her for president during a virtual roll call vote early next month.
Under new rules adopted by the Democratic National Committee on Wednesday, the nominee will be selected as soon as August 1, and the candidate has until August 7 to select a running mate. The party will meet for its convention in Chicago starting August 19.
Harris, who was a senator from California before she was elected vice president, quickly hit the campaign trail with events in Wisconsin, Indiana and Texas. Her campaign said it raked in more than USD 130 million since she officially joined the White House race.
The endorsement comes as ‘Harris for President’ kicks off a ‘Weekend of Action’ marking 100 days until Election Day (on November 5).
With over 1,70,000 volunteers and 2,300 events across the battleground states, Team Harris is making its case to the voters who will decide this election about the fundamental choice they will face this November at the ballot box. PTI LKJ NSA NPK AKJ NPK NPK
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.