2 DAYS AGO
The Clintons want Harris. Obama backs an open process.
MIA MCCARTHY 07/21/2024 (Politico.com)
Former President Barack Obama endorsed an open Democratic primary process at the convention next month — less than an hour after former President Bill Clinton endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president.
“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 in a statement, which did not mention Harris. “I believe that Joe Biden’s vision of a generous, prosperous, and united America that provides opportunity for everyone will be on full display at the Democratic Convention in August.”
Earlier Sunday, a joint statement between Clinton and former Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton said the two were backing Harris: “Now is the time to support Kamala Harris and fight with everything we’ve got to elect her.”
Their statements came soon after President Joe Biden announced he would not be seeking reelection and endorsed Harris to replace him at the top of the ticket. Harris announced shortly after that with Biden’s support, she would seek the Democratic nomination.
The Democratic National Convention starts on Aug. 19 in Chicago.
Both former presidents Obama and Clinton thanked Biden, who served as Obama’s vice president, for the current president’s service. In his statement, Obama wrote about picking Biden as his running mate and said the president had “every right to run for re-election and finish the job he started.”
“I also know Joe has never backed down from a fight,” Obama wrote. “For him to look at the political landscape and decide that he should pass the torch to a new nominee is surely one of the toughest in his life.”
Lead Art: Former President Barack Obama (left) and former President Bill Clinton (right) cheer for President Joe Biden (center) during a campaign fundraising event at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on March 28, 2024. | Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
