Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama threw their support behind Kamala Harris for the 2024 US presidential election.
In a statement posted on X, Obama declared, “Earlier this week, Michelle and I called our friend Kamala Harris. 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 Obama also expressed her enthusiasm, 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 humour, and ability to bring light and hope to people all across the country. We’ve got your back.”
Kamala Harris, the 59-year-old vice president, has secured the necessary pledged delegates to become the Democratic nominee after incumbent President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the race.
Biden, in a letter explaining his decision, mentioned, “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.”
In previous elections, both Barack and Michelle Obama had actively campaigned for Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020. Biden’s decision to step aside came under increasing pressure from Democrats concerned about his performance in debates, particularly against Republican candidate Donald Trump, which raised doubts about his ability to win re-election at 81.
Obama, who defended Biden’s initial re-election bid, had privately expressed concerns to allies about the challenges facing his former running mate after a problematic debate performance.
