Barack Obama officially endorses Kamala Harris
Obama was one of the only high-profile Democrats who had yet to back Harris.
Former President Barack Obama officially endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday to be the Democratic Party's 2024 nominee.
"This week, we got a chance to catch up with a friend who we’ve known for more than 20 years. She’d had a pretty busy couple of days, to say the least. But we couldn’t be more excited for her -- or more thrilled to endorse Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for President of the United States," read a joint statement released by Obama and Michelle Obama.
"We agree with President Biden -- choosing Kamala was one of the best decisions he’s made," they said.
Obama was one of the only high-profile Democrats who had yet to endorse Harris, who quickly secured enough delegate support to clinch the nomination so long as the delegates do not change their mind before the Democratic National Convention's virtual roll next month.
In the statement, he praised Harris' background as a prosecutor, her time in the Senate and her lead on reproductive rights and other issues as vice president.
"But Kamala has more than a resume," the statement read. "She has the vision, the character, and the strength that this critical moment demands. There is no doubt in our mind that Kamala Harris has exactly what it takes to win this election and deliver for the American people. At a time when the stakes have never been higher, she gives us all reason to hope."
When President Joe Biden announced Sunday he was exiting the 2024 race, he quickly endorsed Harris to take his place.
In more extensive remarks on his decision delivered from the Oval Office on Wednesday night, Biden said he believed "the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation" and now was the time for "fresh" and "younger" voices.
"I made my choice. I've made my views known. I'd like to thank our great vice president, Kamala Harris," Biden said. "She's experienced, she's tough, she's capable. She's been an incredible partner to me, and a leader for our country. Now, the choice is up to you, the American people."
After Biden backed Harris, many Democrats across the country quickly fell in line behind her and she faces no major opposition yet for the party's nomination. Focus has already shifted to who she may select to be her vice presidential running mate in challenging former President Donald Trump and JD Vance.
Several days before Obama's endorsement, Democratic leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, publicly endorsed Harris. Jeffries and Schumer both spoke about Harris earning the nomination "from the grassroots up and not the top down."
Obama, too, appeared to want to let the "process" play out before announcing his support. In his initial response to Biden's decision to drop out, Obama said the party would be "navigating uncharted waters in the days ahead."
"But I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges," Obama said at the time.
Though a source told ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Selina Wang that Harris had spoken to Obama, along with other leaders, in the 24 hours after Biden stepped down from the race.