Former President Barack Obama plans to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential bid, according to two people familiar with his plans.
That endorsement could come as early as Thursday, according to one of the people who was granted anonymity to discuss an endorsement that is not yet public.
Obama, the first black president, remains one of the most popular figures in the Democratic Party even though it has been more than a decade since his last election. He lent his support to Biden during fundraisers, which were some of the highlights of his campaign. He is also a draw during campaign events.
His endorsement could help ignite and sustain energy — and fundraising — for Harris’s campaign. And he is likely to join the campaign for Harris once she is officially the presumptive nominee.
Harris and Obama have been in regular contact over the years, with the former president serving as her point of contact since he was California’s attorney general. The two have spoken several times in recent days as she worked to consolidate the party’s support for the Democratic nomination following President Joe Biden’s decision to end his reelection campaign.
Obama had reportedly been among Democratic leaders who privately urged Biden to reconsider his candidacy, but Obama refused to endorse her even as Biden, his former vice president, anointed her as his heir apparent.
Instead, Obama said in a statement Sunday: “In the days ahead we will be navigating uncharted waters, but I have extraordinary confidence that our party’s leaders will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges.”
Many Democrats criticized the move, calling it an insult. On a Black Men for Harris call this week, several men criticized Obama for not using gunpowder, especially for a black woman.
One aide told POLITICO that the frustration on the call was obvious: “The message was, ‘We need to come together as Black men to support and protect her and encourage those who haven’t to do so.’”
But the wait before giving his endorsement was intentional. One person familiar with Obama’s thinking said he did not want to put his finger on the scales while the party was working through the process of determining its nominee.
“He believed it was important for the party to have a legitimate process where delegates select our new nominee, and he thinks Vice President Harris is off to an impressive start,” the source said.
Now that Harris is clearly on track for the nomination, Obama plans to offer his endorsement to the newly elected Democratic nominee.
Obama withheld his support during the 2020 primaries, even though his own vice president was in the running, because he saw himself as an elder statesman who should let the party organically choose its future.
It’s unclear what the endorsement will actually look like, but it’s likely to be more than just a paper statement, according to people familiar with the matter.