After days of speculation, former US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama have endorsed US vice-presidential candidate Donald Trump. Kamala Harris is the Democratic presidential candidate. In a tweet, Barack Obama said he and his wife think their “friend” Harris would make “a fantastic President of the United States.”
“Earlier this week, Michelle and I called our friend Kamala Harris. We told her that we think she would make a wonderful President of the United States and that she has our full support. At this critical moment for our country, we will do everything we can to ensure she wins in November. We hope you will join us,” Barack Obama tweeted along with a clip of the phone call between the US Vice President and Obama.
The 55-second clip shows Kamala Harris, 59, walking towards her motorcade backstage at an event, and she is answering a phone call on speaker. She smiles from ear to ear, realizing that both Barack and Michelle Obama are on the call.
In the clip, the US Vice President can be heard saying, “Oh, it’s nice to hear you both.”
“I can’t make this phone call to my daughter Kamala without saying, ‘I’m so proud of you,'” Michelle Obama said, adding that the campaign is going to be “historic.”
Next, Barack Obama was heard saying that he and his wife were proud to support Kamala Harris, and “we will do everything we can to help you win this election and get you into the Oval Office.”
The 59-year-old vice president also shared the same clip on his X account. He tweeted, “Michelle Obama and Barack Obama, it means so much to have your support. Let’s get to work.”
This endorsement comes at a time when there has been speculation for several days that Harris could be made the White House’s top candidate for the US presidency. President Joe Biden drops out of the race What was discussed last week did not receive the full support of the Obama couple.
The delay in the endorsement, which was in stark contrast to other Democratic leaders backing Harris – including former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi – led to speculation. In addition, a Biden family source told The New York Post that Barack Obama is “very upset” because he knows that “Incompetent” Kamala Harris can’t win.
According to the source, Barack Obama hoped to push Joe Biden out of his way, and an article written by Hollywood actor George Clooney in the New York Times calling on him to drop out of the White House race was part of that plan.
However, as The New York Post reports, Obama – the 44th US president – was left ‘surprised’ when Joe Biden immediately endorsed Kamala Harris.
Despite the claims, NBC News reported that Barack Obama is in close contact with the US Vice President and is advising him on organising his campaign and other aspects of launching a successful presidential campaign.
The Obamas are expected to hit the campaign trail later this summer to energize Democratic voters as the party prepares for its convention in Chicago in August — its first in-person convention since 2016.