Timing of endorsement for Kamala Harris from Obamas was 'entirely choreographed', claims professor

27 July 2024, 09:00 | Updated: 27 July 2024, 09:13

The endorsement for Kamala Harris from the Obamas was "timed", according a leading professor on US politics.

Scott Lucas, Professor of International Politics, at University College Dublin told LBC the timing of the endorsement to be Democratic nominee for US president was "entirely choreographed" in order to play the news cycle.

The couple officially endorsed Harris on Friday - meaning the vice-president has now won the backing of all the party’s politically active high-profile figures for her White House bid.

The former president conspicuously withheld his endorsement in the immediate aftermath of Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw from the campaign, and was initially believed to favour an open nominating contest at next month’s Democratic national convention in Chicago.

But after Harris earned the backing of Bill and Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, a host of state governors and the most senior Democrats in Congress – as well as Biden himself – Obama has added his voice in what amounts to a major boost for the vice-president.

Mr Lucas thinks the endorsement was strategic saying: "You don’t bring the Obamas in to endorse her at the very start.

"You let this play out when it’s clear that Kamala has got the support of almost everyone in party."

Why the Obamas did not endorse Kamala Harris immediately

Mr Lucas said the Trump camp were were trying to play it up that Obama was "bailing out on her".

He added the Democrats have been trying to highlight unity within both the party and for America.

"That Obama endorsement coming at end of week, that's timed.

"One of the secrets of Donald’s Trump, he grabs the news cycle," he said, adding his social media posts or rally speechestend to make headlines.

"When was the last time Donald Trump led the news cycle?

"He has not been able to get a look in really as Harris has had the momentum this week.

"The Obama endorsement kept the news cycle with her for another 24 hours."

The 44th president was joined by wife Michelle, the former first lady, in a phone call with Harris that was filmed and released by her campaign on Friday. In the video, Harris is seen listening to the Obamas on an iPhone in her right hand.

“I can’t have this phone call without saying to my girl Kamala: I am proud of you,” Michelle Obama says. “This is going to be historic.”

Barack Obama weighs in: “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.”

Smiling, standing near a vehicle, 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 and I both. And getting out there, being on the road.”

She adds: “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, and we’re gonna have some fun with this too, aren’t we?”

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The endorsement comes as the Harris campaign, which has made a flying start, launches a “weekend of action” marking 100 days until the election with more than 170,000 volunteers and 2,300 events across battleground states.

Obama was the first Black US president and is endorsing a candidate who, if she wins against Donald Trump in November, will become the first woman, first Black woman and first person of south Asian descent to serve as president.

Harris has narrowed the gap with Trump in opinion polls, trailing him 48% to 47% among likely voters in a New York Times/ Siena College survey.

Trump was leading Biden by six percentage points in this poll after their debate.