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Election 2024 updates: Obama endorses Harris

Last Updated: July 21, 2024, 5:59 PM EDT

Vice President Kamala Harris, who now has an endorsement from former President Barack Obama, is heading into the weekend in what has been a whirlwind week in the presidential race.

On Thursday night, Harris met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and took the lead in addressing the public about their discussions.

Harris has secured commitments from enough delegates to become the presumptive nominee if they all honor their commitment when voting, according to ABC News reporting.

Jul 21, 2024, 5:59 PM EDT

Biden spoke with Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer: Sources

President Joe Biden had conversations with the two top congressional Democrats Sunday as he ended his 2024 presidential campaign, sources told ABC News.

President Joe Biden pauses as he speaks at a news conference on the final day of the NATO summit in Washington, DC, July 11, 2024.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP

Biden spoke with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, sources said.

Jul 21, 2024, 5:56 PM EDT

'It is an honor to serve under Biden,' Secretary of Homeland Security Mayorkas says

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas weighed in on Biden's decision to end his bid for reelection Sunday.

"Today and everyday, it is an honor to serve under POTUS Biden’s leadership," Mayorkas said in a statement on X.

Mayorkas said he's "extraordinarily proud" of the work the Department of Homeland Security has done to "secure our shores, skies, borders, and cyberspace; safeguard the American people from threats old and new; and advance our vital homeland security mission under the President’s leadership."

Looking to the future of Biden's tenure as president, Mayorkas said, "We will continue to use every minute of this administration to deliver for the American people."

Jul 21, 2024, 5:52 PM EDT

Anti-abortion rights groups bash Harris calling her 'radically pro-abortion'

After Harris announced her intention to join the 2024 race for president, anti-abortion rights groups released a statement criticizing Harris' support of abortion rights. National Right to Life, a major anti-abortion group, released a statement criticizing Harris, calling her "radically pro-abortion" after Harris announced she will be running for president.

"Kamala Harris is radically pro-abortion and sees the lives of precious unborn babies as expendable ... She has toured the country pushing unlimited abortion and criticizing protective state laws that support women and their preborn children," National Right to Life President Carol Tobias said in a statement.

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign event in Greensboro, N.C., July 11, 2024.
Chuck Burton/AP

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, which opposes access to abortion care, also accused her of refusing to support limits on access to abortion care.

"While Joe Biden has trouble saying the word abortion, Kamala Harris shouts it. In contrast, President Trump, JD Vance, and the GOP reject the Democrat attempt to impose abortion on-demand across all 50 states and support the right of states to place limits on abortion," Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser wrote in a statement.

Jul 21, 2024, 5:49 PM EDT

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore thanks Biden for being 'an exemplar of true leadership'

In a statement Sunday, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore praised Biden and thanked him for his decades of service.

PHOTO: College in Largo, Maryland, Sept. 14, 2023.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore speaks prior to remarks by President Joe Biden, at Prince George's Community College in Largo, Maryland, Sept. 14, 2023.
Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

"President Biden has dedicated his life and career to serving the American people," Moore wrote. "His legacy of hard work, dedication, optimism, and strength have shaped the trajectory of our nation -- and made us better as a people and as a country."

"This is a man deeply in love with his family, his country, and the promise of America," he wrote. "As a governor, I look to him as an exemplar of true leadership. As an American, I look to him as an embodiment of our shared values of freedom, decency, and patriotism."