måndag 22 juli 2024

The big obstacle for Harris: Barack Obama's silence

 

Kamala Harris

The plan behind Obama's silence

Emil Forsberg

Published 19.32


Kamala Harris has served as Vice President for over 1,270 days.

Now she has 106 days to win against Donald Trump and become president.

One of the obstacles on the way to the White House: Barack Obama's telling silence.

Just minutes after Joe Biden announced his resignation, he announced that he is backing Kamala Harris as the Democrats' next presidential candidate.

After that, several heavy Democrats hung up.

Bill and Hillary Clinton were quick to support Harris. Then Governors Gavin Newsom, Josh Shapiro, and Gretchen Whitmer, who have been singled out as Harris' main challengers, followed suit.

But from the ex-president Barack Obama it has been quiet.

Obama released a lengthy statement praising Biden's efforts — but not mentioning Harris at all.

- We will be navigating uncharted waters in the coming days, but I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to carry out a process where we can produce an outstanding candidate, he says in a statement.
Kamala Harris.
Kamala Harris. Photo: Adam Bettcher/AP

Source: That's why he does it - really

In the US media, the statement is interpreted as Obama calling for an open contest rather than a coronation of Harris.

Speculation that he would hold back and then highlight his wife Michelle seems unfounded, according to Sky News.

According to sources to NBC, Obama rather believes that he will play a key role in getting the Democratic Party to unite around a candidate.

- Just as he did in 2020 when Joe Biden was nominated, President Obama believes he will be in a unique position to help unify the party once we have a nominee, elevate that candidate and do everything he can to get that candidate elected in November, the source said.
Barack Obama.
Barack Obama. Photo: Brynn Anderson/AP

The duo is low

Although Obama expressed his support for Biden during the 2020 election campaign, he did not officially endorse him until Senator Bernie Sanders dropped out of his candidacy.

Nor have the Democrats' former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Hakkeem Jeffries joined Harris.

The duo, who both expressed concern about Biden before defecting, have been tight-lipped about who they want to see at the top of the ballot.

- There are some who believe that Kamala will be a stronger and more legitimate candidate if there is a bit of a process. But I don't hear anyone saying she shouldn't be nominated, top Democrat Jared Huffman told The Hill.

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