Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
LAST UPDATE | 14 Apr 2020
FORMER US PRESIDENT Barack Obama has described Joe Biden as a ‘close friend’, as he formally endorsed his former vice president for the White House.
Obama made the expected endorsement by way of a video message, providing a boost to Biden’s campaign as one of the Democratic party’s most popular figures.
The Covid-19 pandemic has brought the campaign to a near halt and questions remain over how it will proceed over the next few months.
In his message, Obama noted the current global situation, saying “these aren’t normal times”.
“Michelle and I hope that you and your families are safe and well. If you’ve lost somebody to this virus, or if someone in your life is sick, or if you’re one of the millions suffering economic hardship, please know that you’re in our prayers,” he said.
Turning to Biden, Obama said that in “moments of great crisis… the spirit of looking out for one another” is needed in the White House.
“The kind of leadership that’s guided by knowledge and experience; honesty and humility; empathy and grace – that kind of leadership doesn’t just belong in our state capitols and mayors offices. It belongs in the White House,” Obama said.
And that’s why I’m so proud to endorse Joe Biden for President of the United States.Choosing Joe to be my Vice President was one of the best decisions I ever made, and he became a close friend. And I believe Joe has all the qualities we need in a President right now.
In a 12-minute video, Obama praised Biden’s work on the H1N1 and Ebola epidemics as their stewardship of the US recovery from the previous recession.
“Joe was there as we rebuilt from the Great Recession and rescued the American auto industry. He was the one asking what every policy would do for the middle class and everyone striving to get into the middle class,” Obama said.
The former president also praised former candidate Bernie Sanders, who yesterday also came out to endorse Biden.
“Bernie’s an American original – a man who has devoted his life to giving voice to working people’s hopes, dreams, and frustrations,” Obama said.
Obama-Biden
Biden leaned heavily on his affiliation with the former president throughout the Democratic primary, touting their relationship and framing his pitch as an extension of Obama’s presidency.
On the trail, Biden often referred to himself as an “Obama-Biden Democrat”, and has said in recent weeks that he has spoken with Obama about his vice presidential pick.
But Obama stayed above the fray in the primary, rarely speaking out about the intra-party fight. The former president offered his private counsel to any Democratic presidential contender who asked for it, but made no efforts to bolster any one candidate’s campaign.
His endorsement comes considerably earlier than in 2016. He backed Hillary Clinton in June that year as her contentious primary fight with Sanders dragged on.
This cycle, the primary came to a much cleaner and quicker end, with Mr Sanders endorsing Biden yesterday.
The former vice president now has the support of all of his former Democratic primary rivals except for Elizabeth Warren. The Massachusetts senator is expected to formally throw her support behind him soon, according to a source.
Two other prominent Democrats who have yet to formally endorse Biden are former president Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, the party’s 2016 nominee.
Clinton has been in regular touch with Biden, including several times since Sanders dropped out of the race, according to an aide.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Well done Obomber, Trump will definitely win now!
@JackSimpson: The tide is turning against Trump, not that he ever had a majority that supported him to begin with.
Terrible meltdown temper tantrum at his press ‘briefing’ yesterday and in more bad news for him his endorsement for the Wisconsin State Supreme Court was rejected by the electorate, in a swing state he needs to win in November.
I guess we’re going to see a lot more “Temper Tantrum Trump” in the next few months.
He’s also upset now with Fox News telling his base to watch OAN instead.
@Diaspora’d: And unfortunately we’ll see alot more of him for the next 5 years too.
@Diaspora’d: This didn’t post the first time. I’ll try again.
1) “The tide is turning against Trump” – We’ll see in November.
2) “Terrible meltdown temper tantrum at his press ‘briefing’ yesterday” – It must be difficult to keep your temper when bombarded with stupid questions from fake journalists who work for entertainment organisations. After 4 years I’m actually surprised DT can still face them!
3) “I guess we’re going to see a lot more “Temper Tantrum Trump” – Yes, as the level of fake news and media malpractice increases so to the frequency of DT’s temper tantrums. I suspect a direct correlation!
@Diaspora’d: Tick tock, tide turning, yawn. We’ve been hearing the same garbage for the last few years now, collusion hoax was a doozy, and now that “Renegade” Obammer gives his backing, it’s fair to say Trump has it in the bag.
@JackSimpson: Stupid questions from the press? Trump yesterday claimed “When somebody’s the president of the United States, the authority is total.”.
Embarrassingly wrong and contrary to the Constitution. Why was it a stupid question to ask the president why he thinks he’s above the Constitution? Why was it a stupid question to ask why he left out the crucial month of February in his propaganda video presentation yesterday? Why is it a stupid question to ask why he used a sharpie pen to alter a weather map.
He knows he’s in trouble…even Fox news deserting him to the degree he complains and tells his base to go elsewhere.
Temper Tantrum Trump is going through a meltdown.
@JackSimpson: Trumpf lost the plot last night and this morning stating as president he has absolute power to make decisions for the States. The guy needs to go go back to school and study the Constitution
@JackSimpson: yeah Biden to definitely die of the virus now…replaced by Hillary..
@JackSimpson: Jesus, do you ever say anything remotely sensible or credible? Really, your level of debate/argument is the equivalent of sticking your tongue out and saying “nah nah nah nah nah”. Please! Say something remotely interesting or sensible! Just once! You should have let the original comment disappear and saved our brains the bother of rummaging through it for anything remotely resembling sense.
@Diaspora’d: 1) “Stupid questions from the press?” – Yes, questions asking what he did or didn’t do in January and February and questions regarding a supposed rift between himself and Fauci. Completely unhelpful and unnecessary at the height of a crisis. Maybe in a few months when the crisis has passed but not now. These briefings are supposed to update Americans on the crisis.
2) “When somebody’s the president of the United States, the authority is total.” – I agree with you. He didn’t help himself here! For weeks DT has argued that states, not the federal government, should lead the response to the crisis whereas the media have been requesting that DT do more. It has been governors and local leaders who have instituted mandatory restrictions (someone tell the media) – e.g. closing of schools and local businesses. What is interesting here is that between 1/3 and 1/2 of total cases are in the state of New York. The lack of daily criticism directed towards Cuomo is surprising. Since he is the governor he has the power to open and close the economy. The state was ill prepared to deal with this crisis!
3) “Why is it a stupid question to ask why he used a sharpie pen to alter a weather map” – This was from September. Really scrapping the bottom of the barrel. DT already apologised for this. Also, how do you know he drew the bubble? Also, if I remeber correctly, he said:i) he didnt draw the bubble; ii) it represented an older model. I’d imagine it was just a mistake from one of his staffers. What motivation would he have?
4) “Why was it a stupid question to ask why he left out the crucial month of February” – Do you remember what even happened in February. The impeachment was still ongoing! Despite that DT banned China flights at the end of January. Pelosi and Biden called it Xenophobic and racist. Most of the world left out a month in dealing with this crisis – leaders, WHO, Fauci, etc.
@JackSimpson: He didn’t “ban flights” from China….40,000 arrived mostly without screening or quarantine on flights from China to the US so that’s not a “ban on flights”.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/04/us/coronavirus-china-travel-restrictions.html
For the month of February it was obvious he had a policy of downplaying the threat and projected that to his base and his administration. 26th of February he said;
“When you have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down close to zero, that’s a pretty good job we’ve done.”
Did he apologize for “sharpiegate”and the altered weather map? I must have missed that, can you send a link?
@JackSimpson: the dems will shaft Biden surely they can see he doesnt stand a chance?
@Diaspora’d: 1) “He didn’t “ban flights” from China..40,000 arrived” – Yes, 40,000 US citizens and authorised travelers. That is a drop in the ocean compared to the amount of people that would have come in had this ban not been enacted. “During Fiscal Year 2019, an average of more than 14,000 people traveled to the United States from China each day”
2) “mostly without screening or quarantine” – False. According to the WH release on 31 Jan “The CDC is closely monitoring the situation in the United States, is conducting enhanced entry screening at 5 United States airports where the majority of travelers from Wuhan arrive, and is enhancing illness response capacity at the 20 ports of entry where CDC medical screening stations are located. The CDC is also supporting States in conducting contact investigations of confirmed 2019-nCoV cases identified within the United States”.
3) “For the month of February it was obvious he had a policy of downplaying the threat and projected that to his base and his administration.” – Ok, lets look at what happened back in Jan and Feb. Due to China’s slow response, the world really didn’t know anything about this until Jan 7th when it was named. The first confirmed case of CV in the US was Jan 21st. On Jan 21st Fauci (one of the worlds leading experts on this) said that the virus was not a major threat to the ppl of the US and is not something ppl should be worried about now. On Jan 23rd, Fauci said that there was no chance in the world that the US could shut down US major cities like they did in China. On Jan 26th, he said again that this is not something the US ppl should worry about. Virus task forced annouced on Jan 29th. China flight ban announced on Jan 31st. Meanwhile, the dems and their mob in the media are still embroiled in the impeachment hoax. On the same day as DT announced the travel ban, Fauci said, we still have low risk to the US public. On Feb 1st, Biden said DT was fearmongering. On Feb 5th, an NYT headline “Who says it is not safe to travel to China” – the CV travel ban is unjust and does not work anyway. On Feb 6th, Biden calls DT xenophobic. On Feb 7, Pelosi calls DT racist + tells people to go out and visit Chinatown. On February 17th, Fauci called the risk of CV in US as minuscule – skip mask and wash hands. On March 9th, Fauci said that going on a cruise is okay if you are healthy. I’m not trying to have a dig at Fauci but he was reacting to a difficult situation in real time! Yesterday, Fauci said that when he and Birx had a recommendation, DT took it onboard. What do the you and the media mob expect? During the senate impeachment trial, should DT have told the senaters to go home to shelter in place? Should he have told the voters to not go to the polls in South Carolina on Super Tuesday? Dont go to church services. Bearing in mind, the first death was in March 1st! He would have been destroyed in the media had he done that. DT can do no right!
@Diaspora’d: 4) Even Andrew Cuomo was full of praise of DT on Howard Stern “He has been good in delivering for NY. The army core of engineers, buily thousands of beds, the navy ship ‘Comfort’, he has delivered for NY. “.
5) “Did he apologize for “sharpiegate”and the altered weather map?” – Youre right. He didnt. I think he actually asked the fake new media to apologise!!
@Diaspora’d:
NY Times, Jesus wept.
@Raven: what links are good enough for you? Fox News, Q anon, alt-right?
Nobody has disputed the NYT article on the number of arrivals from China.
@JackSimpson: did you not say in your point (4) above that “he banned flights from China”?
Now you’re admitting he didn’t ban flights from China. He put restrictions on foreign national travelers who visited China within 14 days, with the exception of Hong Kong and Macau for some reason. Also no mention of quarantine measures in the proclamation.
He did this JAN 31 and 4 weeks later on FEB 6 he was still delusional and in denial of this being a likely threat proclaiming everything was under control “it was one person from China and 15 cases would soon be close to zero”. Gross negligence.
February 26, 2020. President Trump: “When you have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down close to zero, that’s a pretty good job we’ve done.”
@D’oh: I didn’t know they had cctv’s in federal penitentiaries
@LOWIQJackSimpson: wow an article about Obama / Biden so of course you show up as usual with your multiple idiotic ‘I love Trump he’s the best ‘ mantra – accompanied with usual long rambling non- sense ‘talking points’ – If the US want re relect Trump for 4 more years then they get to do that – but surely you need to get something better to do with your life than wasting your day posting ‘I love Trump’ comments and constantly arguing and defending every move of buffonery he makes FFS.
Ahhhh creepy Joe been backed by bomber Bama, theres a suprise.
@Joe Moore: there is only one bomber and that’s the bomber Liston
@Tony Lyons: You must hail from the Kingdom obviously, if only that was true my friend then lots of people would still be alive.
@Joe Moore: I don’t know what’s on the hedge schools curriculum these days Joe, but I don’t think it’s board of education approved.
Anyone better then that clown running the show
Atm
@CK Painters: and you know because u living in America do ya ?
@Karllye kripton: no but I bet you do
@Karllye kripton: You don’t need to live there to get a pretty clear picture of what he’s like
@Irish Ape: correct and right
@Irish Ape: what he is like or what has been presented?
You would have to be mentally ill to say the coverage of Trump has not been biased.
Ah fo down the road BO , you had your chance and blew it , tip on tf will ya
@Karllye kripton: by and large Obama had a pretty successful presidency. Strong economic growth, obamacare was in some form a medical provision but it was flawed, social advancements.
Obama did lead to a Republic President, it was the daft that it was big HC that lead to republican winning.
@The Guy is Here:What is it You say he was sucessfull then you say otherwise He ruined the middle east and left it in a mess Wake up
@Robert Preston: this Funky Gibbon is ruining everything he touches
Total a..h..le
That’s the final nail in Joes campaign anyway. He will never recover.
I’d select Bosco over Trump. What a clown to be in charge at a critical time in that once great nations history.
@sean de paore: biden is so out of it he is bosco.
Just took him a year to back his own vp
@kenneth clohessy: It makes no sense for him to back Biden while Bernie was still running. He was always going to back the Democratic nominee.
Theres a surprise
ABT, anybody but Trump.
Man, the Trump supporters on here are as vile and despicable as those in the US. No attempt at debating or making points – just smokescreens, childish name calling and insults. Much like the man himself.
@Kem Trayle: hate Trump but, have to say the majority of vitriol on here is actually directed at him so, you’re wrong there
@Jack Inman: The two things can be true.
He took his time, the Dems including Obama, know that it will be tough for Biden to beat Trump. If it was ok to haul a republican nominee through the coals over alleged sexual impropriety with the Kavanaugh case, it would follow that Biden will have to run the gauntlet as well.
@Thewestisbest: Maybe he needs to pay them off the way Trump does. The “grab them by p***y” guy the one who cheated on wife #1, got wife #2 pregnant while still married to wife #1, cheated on wife #2 with wife #3, cheated with porn stars while wife #3 sat at home with a newborn.
Poor old USA.
Choose between a Gobshyte and a Gobdaw!
Only took him a year to do so dhoes how much confidence joe indtills in prople. Any o’bummer just backed a loser
@kenneth clohessy: when has a Republican President ever endorsed an open primary candidate before the winner was clear?
Obama would have backed Sanders or any of the other Dem challengers over “total authority” tyrannical temper tantrum Trump
Reading here is like the morning show on traveller Radio 98.9
It’s crazy that an endorsement from Obama will not mean anything in this election.
Nobel peace prize winner. What a joke.
Joe still touching kids?
It does not matter who Mr Obama is endorsing at this point.
My personal opinion is that we will not see Mr Biden as the candidate of the Democratic Party following the (virtual) convention.
This is an attempt to show unity in these strange times, that is why Mr Obama waited until there was only one candidate left.
Who the party actually will put forward after the convention is a different matter.
I do not believe that Mr Biden is going to be the candidate.
@Yggr of Asgard: He will 100% be the candidate barring being forced to step down over scandal. Would bet my life on that.
“Make America Great again” was always a bad line, given that the USA is just the dominant political entity on the continent.
Full attainment of greatness would entail the inclusion of Mexico & other walled off states in their own back yard, and extending its economic wealth to their own vast underclass.
” Make the USA respected again” would seem a more appropriate ambition.
That’s obvious. He was hardly going to back that idiot Trump.
@Ciaran Farrelly: True so he backed the senile Biden
Joe will be a disaster. The Virus is doing him a favour in giving him no platform. I hate to day it but all his most recent performances suggest some form of cognitive impairment. Sad but true. This, in conjunction with the Hunter shit, will ensure the Don Don sails right back in for another term.
have your say