Barack and Michelle Obama endorse Kamala Harris: 'This is going to be historic.'

Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA TODAY
Updated ·2 min read
190

It took six days, but Barack Obama said yes.

A long-awaited endorsement from the former president for Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic Party’s nominee for president finally arrived Friday.

Harris had racked up a series of endorsements since President Joe Biden withdrew from his reelection bid after his debacle of a debate performance, but Obama was the last prominent Democrat who hadn't weighed in.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris stands with former President Barack Obama during an event hosted by U.S. Presdent Joe Biden on the Affordable Care Act, Obama's top legislative accomplishment, in the East Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., April 5, 2022. REUTERS/Leah Millis
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris stands with former President Barack Obama during an event hosted by U.S. Presdent Joe Biden on the Affordable Care Act, Obama's top legislative accomplishment, in the East Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., April 5, 2022. REUTERS/Leah Millis

In a video endorsement released Friday, Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama are shown calling Harris together to offer their support.

“Aw. Hi, you’re both together! Oh, it’s good to hear you both,” says Harris, dressed in a beige suit and wearing a gold link chain.

“I can’t have this phone call without saying to my girl Kamala: I am proud of you. This is going to be historic,” the former first lady says.

The Obamas made history themselves 16 years ago when Barack Obama became the first person of color to be elected president of the United States.

If elected, Harris, who is Black and Asian Indian, would be the first woman to win the White House.

“We called to say, Michelle and I couldn’t be prouder to endorse you and do everything we can to get you through this election and into the Oval Office,” Barack Obama said.

After Biden dropped out, Harris quickly secured enough Democratic National Committee delegates to become the presumptive Democratic nominee and coalesced the party's establishment behind her.

Though Obama held off while the party organized its new nomination process, he praised Biden for stepping aside.

"Joe Biden has stayed true to these words again and again over a lifetime of service to the American people," Obama said on the social media site X after the president's address Wednesday night.

By Wedesday, Harris had raised $126 million in campaign contributions, according to her campaign.

Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a White House correspondent for USA TODAY. You can follow her on X, formerly Twitter, @SwapnaVenugopal

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Barack Obama endorses Kamala Harris for president

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next