Both former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama have officially endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president.
Harris’ campaign released a video early Friday morning showing the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee receiving a phone call from the political power couple, indicating their support for her.
The video was filmed Wednesday in Indianapolis, where Harris traveled to address the Zeta Phi Beta sorority.
A Democratic official told DailyMail.com that the announcement of the endorsement was delayed so as not to overshadow President Joe Biden’s speech in the Oval Office on Wednesday night.
“Kamala!” the short clip begins, with President Obama’s distinct voice heard through the vice president’s cell phone. “Hey!” Michelle calls out.
Harris’ campaign released a video early Friday morning showing former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama calling on Vice President Kamala Harris to endorse her bid for president.
As Harris walks through the event venue to her SUV, she excitedly calls out, “Ohh hi, you guys are together. It’s nice to hear you both.”
“I can’t make this phone call without telling my girl Kamala, ‘I’m proud of you,’” Michelle says. “This is going to be historic.”
“We called to say that Michelle and I are proud to support you and do everything we can to get you through the election and into the White House,” the former president said.
There were some questions about why the Obamas didn’t immediately endorse Harris when other leading Democrats joined in.
The Democratic official told DailyMail.com that the former president wanted to make more than just a statement.
Before the endorsement was announced, the Trump campaign had been spreading the story that Obama was unhappy that the party had thrown its weight behind Harris. By Monday night, enough delegates had backed her to secure the nomination.
“Many in the Democratic Party, particularly Barack Hussein Obama, feel strongly that Kamala Harris is a Marxist fraud who cannot beat President Trump. They are still hoping for someone ‘better,’” Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said Thursday night.
Vice President Kamala Harris (left) and former President Barack Obama (right) attend an event at the White House in April 2022 celebrating the Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare.”
President Barack Obama (right) is seen leading President Joe Biden (center) offstage at the star-studded fundraiser in June with George Clooney, an appearance that led to Clooney encouraging Biden to leave the race.
The broader intent of the statement was to indicate that his Republican rival, former President Donald Trump, would not set a final debate schedule until “Democrats have formally decided on their nomination.”
The Democratic nomination process, which is taking place virtually ahead of the party convention in Chicago, will conclude on August 7.
In the short video, Harris told the Obamas she looked forward to seeing them on the campaign trail.
While the former president has attended several expensive fundraising events on Biden’s behalf, including the infamous one with George Clooney, Michelle has yet to attend a single campaign rally.
She had privately expressed her frustration that the Biden family had largely ostracized her close friend Kathleen Buhle, Hunter Biden’s first wife and the mother of his three adult children, according to a report from last month by Axios.
But it appears that Michelle, with Harris at the helm, is ready.
Harris thanked both Obamas before hanging up.
“I just want to tell you that the words that you’ve spoken and the friendship that you’ve given all these years means more than I can express,” she said. “So thank you both, it means so much.”
“And we’re going to have fun with it, right?” she asked.
