US election campaign - Obama supports Harris as presidential candidate
Former US President Barack Obama endorses his Democratic party colleague Kamala Harris as the candidate for the November election. He and his wife Michelle will do everything they can to ensure Harris wins, Obama shared on platform X. In a video released with the post, Harris was seen receiving a call from the Obamas. Harris' campaign team also announced that the 59-year-old has received the support of the Obamas.
Obama's endorsement is formally significant but not decisive for the further proceedings. Politically, it is a significant endorsement for Harris. Obama is one of the most influential voices in the Democratic Party and an extremely effective fundraiser.
The former President had initially held back from Biden's current campaign with a formal statement of solidarity for Harris, while others immediately declared their support for her. US media reported, citing Obama's circle, that the former President did not want to intervene too early in the internal party debate and initially focused on Biden's political achievements.
Democrats rally around Harris
Biden was under heavy pressure within his own party due to his age of 81 and doubts about his mental fitness. He eventually gave in to the withdrawal demands of several party colleagues and announced his withdrawal from the presidential race a few days ago. As a replacement candidate for the election on November 3, Biden proposed his vice president Harris to run against the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
The party rallied around its new frontrunner in record time. Harris secured the support of all prominent party figures: among them the democratic congressional leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries, the former speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, and the former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who had herself run for president in 2016.
The decision on whether Harris will actually become the Democratic Party's presidential candidate lies with the party delegates from all states. According to estimates from US media, Harris already has enough delegate votes for a nomination.
The party plans to clarify the personnel issue before the convention in mid-August virtually. The responsible committee of the Democratic Party approved this procedure. An electronic vote could therefore start as early as August 1.
Originally, the Democrats wanted to officially nominate their presidential candidate at a large nomination convention in Chicago from August 19 to 22. However, the party leadership had already advanced plans to select the candidates earlier due to deadlines in the states for confirming candidates to appear on the ballot.
Joe Biden, following his withdrawal from the presidential race due to pressure and concerns about his age and mental fitness, announced Kamala Harris as his replacement candidate to run against Donald Trump in the US Election 2024. Obama, an influential voice in the Democratic Party and an effective fundraiser, had initially held back from endorsing Biden's campaign, but eventually endorsed Harris as a show of solidarity. Ms. Harris' campaign team confirmed the news of the Obamas' support, which was seen as a significant boost to her campaign. The US media reported that Obama had chosen not to intervene too early in the internal party debate, focusing instead on Biden's political achievements. With Harris now the frontrunner, she has secured the support of prominent figures within the Democratic Party, including Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, Nancy Pelosi, and Hillary Clinton. US media estimates suggest that Harris already has enough delegate votes for a nomination. The Democratic Party plans to clarify the personnel issue before the convention in mid-August, likely through an electronic vote.
