Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama officially endorsed Kamala Harris for president in the 2024 race on Friday.
The announcement was posted to the Obamas' social media accounts, accompanied by a video of Harris — the current vice president and de facto Democratic presidential nominee — receiving a call from the Obamas offering their endorsement.
“Earlier this week, Michelle and I called our friend @KamalaHarris," Obama said in his post. "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.”
In the video, Michelle Obama can be heard saying, “I can’t have this call without telling my girl Kamala: I am proud of you. This is going to be historic.”
In response, Harris thanked them for their friendship over the years. “And we’re gonna have some fun with this too, aren’t we?” she said in the video.
You may have detected a bit of consternation online from people who wondered why this endorsement didn’t come sooner — perhaps, along with the wave of Democratic endorsements that immediately followed President Joe Biden withdrawing from the race. Barack Obama had released a statement soon after Biden announced his intention to drop out that didn’t make any endorsement. Its reference to Obama's "extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges" may have suggested to some that he hoped for a brokered convention scenario.
But a source familiar with discussions between Obama and Harris told NBC News that Obama didn't want to overshadow Biden's moment by issuing his endorsement before the president addressed the nation on Wednesday. Whatever the reason for the delay, the Obamas have offered their full-throated support of Harris now. In fact, aides to Obama and Harris have already discussed potential plans for the former president to join the likely nominee on the campaign trail, NBC News reported on Friday, citing three people familiar with the matter.