Former President Barack Obama offered praise to presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden for selecting Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) to join the ticket as his vice president.
Obama released a statement on Tuesday noting the selection of a vice president is the “first important decision” a president has to make.
He acknowledged the weight of the presidency and suggested the president needs someone who has the “judgment” and “character” to make the right decisions.
Obama congratulated Biden for selecting Harris and recognized her as the right fit for Biden.
“Joe Biden nailed this decision. By choosing Senator Kamala Harris as America’s next vice president, he’s underscored his own judgment and character,” Obama said.
He added, “Reality shows us that these attributes are not optional in a president. They’re requirements of the job. And now Joe has an ideal partner to help him tackle the very real challenges America faces right now and in the years ahead.”
"Joe Biden nailed this decision," Barack Obama says in his statement on the Kamala Harris pick. pic.twitter.com/3p0teItWtj
— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) August 11, 2020
Biden took to Twitter on Tuesday to announce he has selected Harris as his running mate, as IJR previously reported.
He called her “a fearless fighter for the little guy” and “one of the country’s finest public servants.”
Biden noted Harris’ accomplishments as Attorney General including taking on “the big banks,” lifting up “working people,” and protecting “women and kids from abuse.”
Obama also mentioned Harris’ career as evidence Biden made the right choice.
“I’ve known Senator Harris for a long time. She is more than prepared for the job. She’s spent her career defending our Constitution and fighting for folks who need a fair shake,” Obama said.
He continued, “Her own life story is one that I and so many others can see ourselves in: a story that says no matter where you come from, what you look like, how you worship, or who you love, there’s a place for you here. It’s a fundamentally American perspective, one that’s led us out of the hardest times before. And it’s perspective we can all rally behind right now.”
The former vice president’s decision garnered support from several of his Democratic colleagues, as IJR previously reported.
President Donald Trump’s campaign slammed Harris shortly after the announcement calling her “phony.”
During his press briefing, Trump said he was surprised by Biden’s pick because Harris has been “very, very nasty” to Biden during the primaries.