Former US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle endorsed the current vice president, Kamala Harris, for the position of US president on Friday.
“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,” Obama posted on X.
Michelle Obama, the former First Lady, expressed her pride and excitement, stating, “I’m so proud of my girl, Kamala. Barack and I are so excited to endorse her as the Democratic nominee because of her positivity, sense of humor, and ability to bring light and hope to people all across the country. We’ve got your back.”
Harris, 59, secured enough pledged delegates to win the Democratic presidential nomination, just days after incumbent president Joe Biden decided not to run for re-election.
In a letter, Biden stated, “It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.”
Barack and Michelle Obama previously campaigned for Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Biden in 2020, participating in major rallies just before Election Day.
Biden’s decision came amid increasing pressure from the Democratic Party, concerned about his ability to win the election at age 81 following a challenging debate performance against Republican candidate Donald Trump.
Biden, who served two terms as Obama’s vice president, transitioned from the Senate to a national role through this selection.
Although Obama had publicly supported Biden’s re-election bid, he privately acknowledged to his allies that Biden’s campaign faced significant challenges after the difficult debate, as reported by the Washington Post.