Clintons endorse Kamala Harris after Biden drops out
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Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday after President Biden's stunning withdrawal from the race.
Why it matters: One of the most powerful families in Democratic politics swiftly joined Biden in endorsing Harris, a key indicator the party will rally around the vice president as the best option to defeat Donald Trump.
Between the lines: In 2016, Hillary Clinton became the first woman to win a major party's nomination. Now, she's aiming to help Harris become the first woman president in U.S. history.
Full Clinton statement, via X:
"President Biden has capped his extraordinary career of service with a Presidency that has lifted America out of an unprecedented pandemic, created millions of new jobs, rebuilt a battered economy, strengthened our democracy, and restored our standing in the world. By any measure, he has advanced our founders' charge to build a more perfect union and his own stated goal of restoring the soul of our nation.
We join millions of Americans in thanking President Biden for all he has accomplished, standing up for America time and again, with his North Star always being what's best for the country.
We are honored to join the President in endorsing Vice President Harris and will do whatever we can to support her.
We've lived through many ups and downs, but nothing has made us more worried for our country than the threat posed by a second Trump term. He has promised to be a dictator on day one, and the recent ruling by his servile Supreme Court will only embolden him to further shred the Constitution. Now is the time to support Kamala Harris and fight with everything we've got to elect her. America's future depends on it."
The intrigue: Former President Barack Obama issued a statement praising Biden's legacy, but he did not offer an endorsement of Harris.
- "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," Obama said.
- A source familiar with Obama's thinking told Axios' Hans Nichols: "Just like he did in 2020 once Joe Biden earned the nomination, President Obama believes he will be uniquely positioned to help unite the party once we have a nominee, lift up that candidate, and do everything he can to get that candidate elected in November."
