Former US president Barack Obama told Kamala Harris he “couldn’t be prouder” as he endorsed her to replace Joe Biden as the Democratic candidate for the US election.
Barack Obama was quiet after other top Democrats gave the US vice president their backing in the days after Joe Biden pulled out of the race on Sunday.
Obama also released a statement after Biden’s decision which suggested he was calling for an open contest to decide the Democratic nominee.
However, Harris and Obama released a video which shows her speaking to Obama and his wife, the former first lady Michelle, in a joint phone call in which they give her their support.
Obama says: “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.”
Obama told the vice president in the call: “I can’t have this phone call without saying to my girl Kamala: I am proud of you. This is going to be historic.”
Harris replies: “Oh my goodness. Michelle, Barack, this means so much to me.
“I am looking forward to doing this with the two of you – Doug [her husband] 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… we’re gonna have some fun with this, too, aren’t we?”
Obama then tells Harris she is a “happy warrior” before the former first lady adds: “And the country needs a happy warrior.”
Mrs Obama also told Kamala: “It’s time for us to rally around you, your candidacy. This is not on you, it’s not just on you and Doug, it’s on all of us… We’ve got to register, we’ve got to vote…. So, let’s all roll up our sleeves and make it happen.”
Harris is almost certain to secure the Democratic nomination and would take on Republican candidate and former president Donald Trump in the race for the White House.
The Obamas have been slower to publicly endorse Ms Harris than other top Democrats.
Biden, who served as vice president under Mr Obama between 2009 and 2017, immediately gave his vice president his support and urged the party to get behind her when he quit the race.
