Barack Obama endorses Kamala Harris for President in US election 2024, says couldn't be prouder (WATCH)

Barack Obama has officially endorsed Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for the US presidency, solidifying her bid for the White House with the backing of all the party’s prominent figures.

Initially withholding his endorsement following Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw, Obama was thought to support an open contest at the upcoming Democratic national convention in Chicago. However, after Harris secured endorsements from Bill and Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, numerous state governors, senior Democrats in Congress, and Biden himself, Obama has now publicly voiced his support.

In a video released by Harris's campaign, the 44th president, alongside former First Lady Michelle Obama, expressed their endorsement during a phone call with Harris. “I can’t have this phone call without saying to my girl Kamala: I am proud of you,” Michelle Obama said. “This is going to be historic.”

Barack Obama added, “We called to say Michelle and I couldn’t be prouder to endorse you and do everything we can to get you through this election and into the Oval Office.”

Harris, visibly moved, responded, “Oh my goodness. Michelle, Barack, this means so much to me, I am looking forward to doing this with the two of you, Doug and I both. And getting out there, being on the road.”

“But most of all, I just wanna tell you that 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, and we’re gonna have some fun with this too, aren’t we?” she continued.

The endorsement coincides with the Harris campaign's launch of a “weekend of action” to mark 100 days until the election. The campaign plans over 2,300 events in battleground states, involving more than 170,000 volunteers.

If Kamala Harris wins against Donald Trump in November, she will become the first woman, the first Black woman, and the first person of South Asian descent to serve as president. Recent opinion polls show Harris closing the gap with Trump, with a New York Times/Siena College survey indicating she trails him by just 1%, 48% to 47%, among likely voters. This is a notable improvement from the six-point lead Trump held over Biden after the debate.