Barack and Michelle Obama support Kamala Harris

2024-07-26 12:21:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Barack and Michelle Obama support Kamala Harris

Barack Obama and Michelle Obama

Former US President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama have backed Kamala Harris in her bid to run for president, giving her the expected but essential support of the two most senior Democrats. known in the country.

The endorsement, announced Friday morning in a video showing Ms. Harris holding a joint phone call with the Obamas, comes as Ms. Harris is ramping up efforts as the party's presumptive nominee following the president's decision. Joe Biden to withdraw from the race against Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump.

The endorsement highlights the historic friendship and connection between the first African-American president and the first African-American and Asian woman to serve as vice president, who is now fighting to break the same barriers at the presidential level.

"We called to tell you that Michelle and I couldn't be more proud to support you and do everything we can to get you elected and into the Oval Office," former President Obama told Ms. Harris. , who appeared on the phone while walking backstage at an event, accompanied by a Secret Service agent.

"I couldn't make this phone call without telling my daughter, Kamala, I'm proud of you," said Mrs. Michelle Obama.

"This will be historic," she added.

Barack Obama, the first African-American president of the United States, remains one of the most popular figures in the Democratic Party.

According to an Associated Press poll, Ms. Harris has already secured the public support of a majority of delegates to the Democratic National Convention, which begins Aug. 19 in Chicago. The Democratic National Assembly's Rules Committee on Wednesday approved a proposal that would allow delegates from across the country to vote for potential presidential candidates in a round of online voting that begins Aug. 1.

However, the Obama family acted cautiously. Former President Obama's initial statement following President Biden's announcement that he was retiring did not mention Ms. Harris. Instead, he spoke in general terms about the potential candidate.

"I have tremendous confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process that will produce an outstanding candidate," the former president wrote.

Barack and Michelle Obama campaigned separately for Mrs Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Mr Biden in 2020, including large rallies in the closing weekends before Election Day. They delivered keynote addresses at the 2020 Democratic Convention, a virtual event due to the coronavirus pandemic. The former president's speech was particularly notable because he launched an attack on Mr. Trump as a threat to democracy, an argument that continues to be part of Ms. Harris's campaign./ VOA