Obamas endorse Kamala, firing up campaign

WASHINGTON: The Obamas have come through for Kamala Harris. The former 'First Couple' - hugely influential among Democrats - formally endorsed her for the party nomination, saying they would "do everything we can to elect Kamala Harris the next president of the United States."

In a video released by the Harris campaign of a phone call they made to her, ex-prez Barack Obama is heard saying, "We called to say Michelle and I couldn't be prouder to endorse you and to do everything we can to get you through this election and into the Oval Office." Michelle adds, "I can't have this phone call without saying to my girl Kamala: I am proud of you. This is going to be historic." "Oh my goodness. Michelle, Barack, this means so much to me. I'm looking forward to doing this with the two of you, Doug and I both," Harris responds.

The delay in the endorsement had set tongues wagging in the political circuit, particularly after speculation in some quarters about Michelle being better placed to defeat Trump. Harris herself was one of Obama's earliest supporters when he ran for the White House, working as a campaign volunteer when he kicked off his run in Iowa.

Besides, for all the talk of them keeping a distance from Kamala, Obama is known to have a lot of respect and affection for her. Once, during a 2013 California fundraiser when he was prez, he called her the "best-looking attorney general in the country". He later phoned her to apologise after some feminists deemed the comment sexist, although Kamala did not seem to take offense. Now regarded as an elder statesman in the Democratic Party, the former prez had withheld an outright public endorsement for Kamala, reportedly because he did not want to "put his thumb on the scale" before Prez Biden had a chance to have his say after formally ceding the nomination.

In a statement, the Obamas praised Kamala's accomplishments, pushing back against MAGA Republicans who have dubbed her a "DEI hire" - a reference to "diversity, equity and inclusion" initiatives. "She has the vision, the character, and the strength," they wrote. "There is no doubt in our mind that Kamala Harris has exactly what it takes to win this election... At a time when the stakes have never been higher, she gives us all reason to hope."

The Obamas' call adds to a surge of energy and momentum, Harris' campaign is experiencing after her dramatic elevation to the top of the ticket, powered in part by voters in the younger demographic who had despaired over two geriatrics duking it out for White House.

Bibi meets Harris, Trump

US vice-prez Kamala Harris offered PM Netanyahu strong support for Israel's right to defend itself from terrorism Thursday but declared that "far too many innocent civilians" had died in the Gaza Strip and that "I will not be silent" about their suffering. Later, Netanyahu visited Donald Trump at his Florida resort, looking to patch things up. Trump was furious in 2020 after Netanyahu congratulated Biden on his victory in an election that the ex-prez claimed was stolen. Agencies