Former President Barack Obama is reportedly planning to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris , but dueling leaks are casting doubt on whether she was his first choice.
The most popular Democrat in the country, who arguably remains the party's leader despite his penchant to stay in the background, had called for an open nominating process in the wake of President Joe Biden's withdrawal from the race. But party leaders, from former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who stood with Biden in backing Harris might be forcing him to speed up his decision to back her.
Obama's endorsement would be critical to Harris, and he's one of the last high-profile Democrats yet to offer his public support.
It appeared Obama was withholding his public support for Harris in an attempt to garner unity within the party after a bitter fight to remove Biden left the president and his team feeling betrayed. However, a New York Post report paints a different picture, one in which Obama hasn't endorsed Harris yet because he believes she can't win.
“Obama knows she’s just incompetent — the border czar who never visited the border, saying that all migrants should have health insurance," a Biden family source told the outlet. "She cannot navigate the landmines that are ahead of her.”
Obama reportedly only wanted Biden to step down and didn't count on the president endorsing Harris right away. The report said the former president was "shocked" Biden did so. Obama apparently wanted Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), who is being floated as Harris's running mate, to be the nominee instead.
Obama's frustration at Biden moving forward in endorsing Harris without his knowledge stands in contrast to the NBC News report, which painted the former president as a fan of Harris.
"He has been in regular contact with her and thinks she's been off to a great start," a source told NBC News.
There have also been discussions around Harris and Obama appearing together on the campaign trail, according to the outlet.
"President Obama looks forward to helping Democrats up and down the ballot make the case to voters this fall," Eric Schultz, a senior adviser to Obama, said. "Our strategy will be based on driving impact, especially where and when his voice can move the needle."
Obama has reportedly talked to Harris about setting up a campaign and other parts of setting up a successful bid for the White House. His wife, former first lady Michelle Obama, also supports Harris's candidacy.
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Whether Harris was Obama's preferred candidate or not will likely never be known. Harris is on a glide path to securing the Democratic Party's nomination and Obama isn't showing any signs of rejecting whoever the party selects.
In a Democratic Party that has fiercely opposed former President Donald Trump, it appears likely Obama will throw his support behind Harris as the Democratic nominee.
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