(LibertySons.org) – President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race on July 21 and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place. Democrats quickly fell in line behind him and offered their support. Former President Barack Obama was not one of those Dems.
Obama released a lengthy statement after Biden’s announcement. He spoke affectionately about his former vice president, saying Biden is empathetic, resilient, and had a “remarkable career in public service.” He applauded the president’s actions over the last four years, claiming Biden had a laundry list of accomplishments.
The 44th president said Biden “never backed down from a fight” and that it was “surely one of the toughest” decisions of his life to drop out of the race. Obama said he knew the president wouldn’t have done that unless he “believed it was right for America.”
As for Biden’s replacement as the Democratic nominee, Obama didn’t endorse Harris. Instead, he said the party would be “navigating uncharted waters in the days ahead.” He went on to say he had “extraordinary confidence” that party leaders would “create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges.”
Obama’s refusal to endorse Harris startled some. After all, former President Bill and First Lady Hillary Clinton endorsed the vice president shortly after Biden’s announcement. Others were also quick to stand behind her, but not Obama. Republicans thought the former president’s refusal amounted to a snub.
However, sources close to Obama said that he had positioned himself as an impartial statesman who rises above the fray. He didn’t endorse a candidate until after the 2016 and 2020 Democratic primaries ended and appears to be taking a similar position now, albeit under different circumstances.
One source said Obama believes his role is to “unite the party once [Democrats] have a nominee.” Others theorized that it was because he wanted his statement to focus on Biden, not on what comes next.
~Here’s to Our Liberty!
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