Former President Barack Obama, in a surprising move, has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for US president.
This was noticed on a public phone call footage filmed and released by Kamala Harris’s campaign team on Friday. In the footage, Harris was seen listening to Barack and Michelle with her iPhone in hand.
“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.” the 44th president said in the footage.
“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.”
Smiling, Harris replied, “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 me both. And getting out there, being on the road.” Her emotional response to the endorsement was evident in her voice.
“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?” Harris added.
The former president had notably withheld his support, as Americans were led to believe that he favored an open contest to decide the Democratic nominee after the statement he released following Biden’s decision to step down from the presidential race. However, after Harris earned the backing of prominent party members, including Bill and Hilary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Biden himself, and several state governors and senior Democrats in Congress, she earned Obama’s endorsement.
In his words, “Harris is a happy warrior”. “And the country needs a happy warrior,” the former first lady agreed.
Can Obama serve as vice president after his support?
Whether or not Obama can serve as vice president to the probable Democratic nominee is complicated as no one has ever been vice president after serving as president of the United States.
According to the 22nd Amendment, “No person shall be elected to the office of President more than twice.”
The 12th Amendment says, “No person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice President of the United States.”
Hence, some constitutional scholars agree that Obama not technically running for the office of President himself gives him leeway.
This presumption has gone unproven for the longest time, as a comment made by law professor Michael Dorf back in 2000 says, “Bill Clinton can serve as vice president because the 22nd Amendment’s prohibition on running for a third presidential term is not a condition of the office of the president.”
Other constitutional scholars have disagreed with this; however, they argue that if such an attempt were made, it would likely end up in the Supreme Court as it makes decisions on conflicts within the constitution.
