Obama to throw his full support behind Harris

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 soon as Thursday, according to one of the people granted anonymity to speak about 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 more than a decade has passed since he was last elected. He lent his support to Biden during fundraisers, which were among some of the biggest blockbuster events of his campaign. He's also a draw during campaign events.

His backing could help activate and sustain energy — and fundraising — for Harris' campaign. And he’s likely to get on the campaign trail for Harris once she is officially the presumptive nominee.

Harris and Obama have been in regular touch over the years, with the former president serving as a sounding board dating back to her time as attorney general in California. The two have spoken multiple times in recent days as she worked to consolidate party support for the Democratic nomination after President Joe Biden's decision to end his reelection bid.

Obama had reportedly been among the Democratic leaders who privately urged Biden to reconsider his candidacy. But Obama withheld his endorsement even as Biden, his former vice president, anointed her as his heir apparent.

Instead, Obama said in a statement on Sunday, “We will 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.”

That move was criticized by many Democrats, who saw it as an insult. On a Black Men for Harris call this week, multiple men on the call knocked Obama for holding his powder dry, especially for a Black woman.

One attendee told POLITICO that the frustration on the call was obvious: “The message was, ‘We need to come together as Black men to support her and protect her and encourage those who have not done it, to do so.’”

But the wait before endorsing was intentional. A person familiar with Obama’s thinking said he didn’t want to put his thumb on the scale as the party worked 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 VP Harris has been off to an impressive start,” the person said.

Now that Harris is clearly on the glide path to the nomination, Obama plans to offer his backing to the freshly minted Democratic candidate.

Obama withheld his endorsement during the 2020 primary, 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 actual endorsement will look like, but it’s likely to be more than just a paper statement, according to those people familiar.