Source: Michael Kovac / Getty
In the pre-dawn hours this morning, former President Barack Obama endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president, NBC News and other outlets have reported.
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There had been speculation about why he did not immediately endorse her after President Joe Biden did when he withdrew from the race on Sunday. Those speculations were quickly dismissed by the 44th president who has preferred to present himself as an impartial party elder, according to the New York Times at the top of the week.
Source: Alex Wong / Getty
Mr. Obama’s enthusiastic support of Vice President Harris included the enthusiastic support of former First Lady, Michelle Obama, who remains so popular that as recently as three weeks ago she was considered to be the only Democrat who could beat Donald Trump. In the roughly one-minute video endorsement, which shows Mr. Obama calling Ms. Harris, we hear the former president say,
“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.”
Mrs. Obama added, “I can’t have this phone call without saying to my girl Kamala: I am proud of you. This is going to be historic.”
Source: Twitter / Twitter
Mr. Obama has been in close touch with Ms. Harris, who he’s known for some 20 years, and has privately been completely supportive of the vice president’s decision to run, according to NBC News. And while he’d been initially behind Mr. Biden’s decision to pursue a second term, after the president’s debate performance in June, Obama reportedly became deeply concerned.
Given the speed with which Ms. Harris has closed the gap that had Donald Trump polling ahead of Mr. Biden by seven points, the endorsement from Mr. Obama will potentially–perhaps predictably– create a lead, even a significant one, for the vice president. What is less predictable will be the response from Mr. Trump and, frighteningly, some of his more unhinged supporters.
UPDATE: Mr. and Mrs. Obama posted their written endorsement on Medium just after 8:00 a.m. Eastern. You can read the full text here.
This is a developing story.
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