In a significant endorsement, former US President Barack Obama threw his support behind fellow Democrat Kamala Harris’ bid for the White House on Friday, delivering a major boost to her campaign against Donald Trump in the upcoming November presidential election.
“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,” Obama announced on social media platform X. “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’s endorsement comes as one of the last from key Democratic figures, following President Joe Biden’s support of Harris’ candidacy on Sunday. Biden, 81, stepped out of the race following a poor debate performance against Trump, which heightened concerns about his mental capacity and consistently low polling numbers.
Harris, 59, who entered the race amid these controversies, has seen a surge in support since announcing her late candidacy. As the country’s first female vice president, she is poised to make history once again if she wins in November. In a fiery speech to teachers on Thursday, Harris launched a sharp critique of Trump and his “extremist” Republicans.
Trump, seemingly caught off guard by the momentum behind Harris, has so far refused to schedule a debate with her, citing it as “inappropriate” until she is officially named the Democratic nominee. “Democrats very well could still change their minds,” Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement.
In response, Harris challenged Trump on X, stating, “What happened to ‘any time, any place?'” She previously expressed her readiness for a potential September 10 debate, saying, “I’m ready. So let’s go.”
Harris received a standing ovation from the American Federation of Teachers at their convention in Houston as she warned of a “full-on attack” by Trump’s Republicans on “hard-won, hard-fought freedoms.” She highlighted issues such as voting rights and gun violence, calling out what she described as extremist attacks on fundamental freedoms.
Trump has escalated his rhetoric against Harris, calling her a “radical left lunatic” and falsely accusing her of supporting the “execution” of newborn babies. He has also vowed to withhold federal funds from schools with vaccine mandates, despite every public school in America having such mandates.
With Obama’s endorsement, Harris’ campaign continues to gain traction as she seeks to solidify her position as the Democratic nominee and challenge Trump in the upcoming election.
