Obama endorses Harris’ White House bid, vows to do everything to make her win
Washington (PTI): Kamala Harris will be a "fantastic President of the United States," former president Barack Obama said on Friday, as he and his wife Michelle endorsed her and vowed to do "everything we can" to enable her to win the high-stakes elections against Donald Trump in November.
Harris, 59, launched her presidential campaign hours after President Joe Biden said he would be forgoing his bid for a second term.
The decision came after Biden faced weeks of mounting pressure to step aside following his startling debate performance against rival and former president Trump last month, which raised concerns about his fitness for a second term and ability to defeat his Republican opponent in November.
Obama, who didn’t immediately endorse Harris following President Biden’s announcement on Sunday, released a video to support the Vice President.
"Earlier this week, Michelle and I called our friend @KamalaHarris. We told her we think she’ll make a fantastic President of the United States, and that she has our full support. At this critical moment for our country, we’re going to do everything we can to make sure she wins in November. We hope you’ll join us," Obama said in a post on X.
“Michelle and I couldn’t be prouder to endorse you and to do everything we can to get you through this election and into the Oval Office,” the 62-year-old former president told Harris on a phone call joined by his wife.
Harris thanked the Obamas for their support and expressed gratitude for their decadeslong friendship.
"I’m looking forward to doing this with the two of you, Doug (Douglas Emhoff) and I both. And getting out there, being on the road,” Harris, 59, said.
“But most of all, I just want to tell you the words you have spoken and the friendship that you have given over all these years mean more than I can express, so thank you both. It means so much. And we’re gonna have some fun with this too, aren’t we?” she added.
Michelle, the former first lady, said she is proud of Harris and expects the upcoming election to be historic.
“I can’t have this phone call without saying to my girl, Kamala, I am proud of you. This is going to be historic,” she told Harris in the approximately one-minute video.
In a joint statement announcing the endorsement, the Obamas praised Harris.
“But Kamala has more than a resume. 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," the statement said.
“At a time when the stakes have never been higher, she gives us all reason to hope," it added.
With Obama's endorsement, Harris, who is of Indian and African origin, has secured support from all major Democrats and party leaders in Congress, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Obama, the first Black president, and Harris, who could become the first female president, have been in regular contact since Biden announced his decision to drop out, the US media reports citing sources familiar with the matter said, noting they have known each other for 20 years.
No other Democrat has announced their candidacy for the presidential nod. Harris has secured endorsements from more than 40 state delegations, surpassing the number of delegates she will need to win the nomination. If that support holds, Democrats will officially nominate her for president during a virtual roll call vote in August.
Under new rules adopted by the Democratic National Committee on Wednesday, the nominee will be selected as soon as August 1, and the candidate has until August 7 to select a running mate. The party will meet for its convention in Chicago starting August 19.
In an Oval Office address Wednesday, Biden acknowledged it was time to "pass the torch" to a new generation of leaders.
Harris, who was a senator from California before she was elected vice president, quickly hit the campaign trail with events in Wisconsin, Indiana and Texas. Her campaign said it raked in more than USD million between Sunday afternoon, when she officially joined the White House race, and Monday evening.
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'Well-planned conspiracy by UP CM Adityanath, BJP-RSS': Cong on Sambhal violence
New Delhi, Nov 24: In the wake of violence in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal, the Congress on Sunday alleged that the Yogi Adityanath administration is squarely responsible for killing innocents and only the BJP-RSS is guilty of "setting fire" to the peace and harmony there.
The opposition party said the videos of direct firing on the protesters in Sambhal depict the horrifying result of a "well-planned conspiracy" by Adityanath and the BJP-RSS.
Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said Adityanath's administration has once again shown a blatant disregard for communal harmony.
"In this entire matter, the BJP neither wanted the survey to proceed nor to stop it; its sole objective was to destroy harmony," he alleged.
Three people were killed and scores of others, including around 20 security personnel, were injured as the protesters opposing a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque Sambhal clashed with police on Sunday.
"No citizen in Uttar Pradesh is 'safe' under CM Adityanath, who gave the reprehensible slogan of 'Batenge toh Katenge'. This is evident by the highly deplorable incidents of Sambhal today," Khera said in a statement.
The videos of direct firing on the protesters in Sambhal depict the horrifying result of a "well-planned conspiracy" by Adityanath and the BJP-RSS, he alleged.
Western Uttar Pradesh, which has been a symbol of goodwill and harmony for years, has today witnessed three people killed and many injured under a "well-planned conspiracy", the Congress leader said.
"We say with full responsibility that the Adityanath administration is squarely responsible for killing innocents and only the BJP-RSS is guilty of setting fire to the peace and harmony of Sambhal. Modi-Yogi 'double assault' governments, which consider the minority community as second-class citizens, hurriedly got a petition filed in court," Khera said.
It is public knowledge that the court ordered an immediate survey without hearing the other side, he said.
"No action was taken against the rioters who accompanied the survey team. This makes it clear that after the by-elections in the state, the Yogi government has further intensified the politics of violence and hatred," he added.
The Congress leader said that questions are being raised about the role of the police and the administration because many innocent people have lost their lives in this violence and more than two dozen people have been injured.
"Inciting communal hatred and driving a wedge between two communities - is the DNA of BJP-RSS!" Khera said.
"On one hand, there is an empty slogan of 'Ek Hai Toh Safe Hain' - on the other hand, they divide communities! On one hand, there is lie of 'Sabka Saath- Sabka Vishwas' that has been going on for a decade, on the other hand, the minority community is constantly being targeted in Uttar Pradesh," he added.
The BJP government in Uttar Pradesh is destroying communal harmony and brotherhood for political gains, which is highly condemnable and objectionable, Khera said.
"We appeal to the BJP to prioritize the nation's interests over their political ambitions," he added.
"We want to ask Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minister Adityanath whether they will follow the statement of their own Mohan Bhagwat ji in June 2022 (even if it is pretentious!) in which he said that 'History is something that we cannot change. Neither today's Hindus nor today's Muslims made it, it happened at that time.... Why see Shivling in every mosque?.... Now we do not have to do any agitation..?'" Khera said.
"Neither Modi ji, nor Chief Minister Adityanath nor Mohan Bhagwat ji have the answer to this!" he added.
Khera said Rahul Gandhi has been continuously and stridently talked about 'Nafrat Ke Bazaar Mein Mohabbat Ki Dukaan' and in such a situation, an appeal is made to the people of Sambhal to recognise the politics of hatred, maintain mutual unity, amity and harmony, and take steps to protect their rights in a legal manner.
Moradabad Divisional Commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh said the protesters torched vehicles and pelted stones at the police, who used tear gas and batons to disperse the mob.
"Shots were fired by the miscreants... the PRO of the superintendent of police suffered a gunshot to the leg, the police circle officer was hit by pellets and 15 to 20 security personnel were injured in the violence," he said.
Singh said that a constable also suffered a serious head injury, while the deputy collector fractured his leg.
Internet services have been suspended in Sambhal tehsil for 24 hours and the district administration declared a holiday on November 25 for all students up to Class 12.
Purported images shared on social media showed the protesters pelting stones at cops from atop buildings and in front of the Shahi Jama Masjid. Later, the police personnel were purportedly seen cornering and hitting people as they tried to disperse a large crowd in a narrow alleyway.
Our statement on the tragic and avoidable riots in Sambhal:
— Pawan Khera 🇮🇳 (@Pawankhera) November 24, 2024
संभल में हुए दुखद एवं परिहार्य दंगों पर कांग्रेस पार्टी का वक्तव्य: pic.twitter.com/uOpKjYbw8g
