Shocking Reason Why Obama Didn't Rush To Endorse Kamala Harris After Biden Quit US Presidential Race

Former President Barack Obama has so far shied away from endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris in her US presidential bid over doubts about her ability to defeat Republican rival Donald Trump, according to a source close to the Biden family.

After 81-year-old Joe Biden’s unexpected withdrawal from the US presidential race and immediate endorsement of Harris, most Democratic leaders swiftly rallied behind her candidacy. However, the 44th US President notably withheld his endorsement. “Obama’s very upset because he knows she can’t win,” the Biden family source revealed to the New York Post (NYP).

“Obama knows she’s just incompetent—the border czar who’s never visited the border, advocating that all migrants should have health insurance. She’s not equipped to navigate the challenges ahead.” The turning point for Biden, 81, came after a widely slammed debate performance against Trump last month in Atlanta, which was reportedly orchestrated to push him out of the race.

The source expressed skepticism about Harris’s prospects in a televised debate against Trump, predicting potential missteps on issues like Israel, Palestine, and Ukraine. “She can’t debate. She’s going to put her foot in her mouth,” the source claimed. According to the source, Obama’s initial hope was to clear the path for Biden’s exit, a strategy bolstered by an article from George Clooney urging Biden to step aside.

With no one stepping up to challenge Harris for the nomination, she won the backing of party delegates on Monday, a day after Biden announced that he was dropping his reelection bid. According to NYP, Biden’s immediate endorsement of Harris caught Obama by surprise. Post-Biden, the former US President reportedly favoured Arizona Senator Mark Kelly as a potential top candidate for the Democratic National Convention next month.

Hours after NYP broke Obama exclusive, NBC News reported that Obama plans to endorse Harris as the Democratic presidential candidate soon. The report said that Obama privately has fully supported Harris’ candidacy and has been in regular contact with her. “Aides to Obama and Harris also have discussed arranging for the two of them to appear together on the campaign trail, though no date has been set,” the report said, citing people familiar with the discussions.

(With agency inputs)