Topline
Former President Barack Obama will speak Tuesday at the Democratic National Convention, promoting Vice President Kamala Harris 20 years after they first met, as the one-time president and potential future president have a decades-long history of supporting each other in their political campaigns.
Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Barack Obama embrace on stage during an event at … [+]
Timeline
Harris and Obama met for the first time, according to CNN and the Washington Post—while she was San Francisco’s district attorney and he was an Illinois state legislator running for Senate—with Obama aides telling CNN they met at a California fundraiser for Obama’s Senate race.
Harris endorsed Obama in his primary against Hillary Clinton and volunteered for his campaign, including knocking on doors for him in Iowa, according to multiple outlets.
Days before Obama’s inauguration, comparisons between Harris and Obama gained national attention when journalist Gwen Ifill appeared on the “Late Show with David Letterman,” and said Harris “has a bright future and they call her the ‘female Barack Obama.’”
Obama endorses Harris in her campaign to be California’s attorney general and campaigns for her, saying at the time Harris is “a dear, dear friend of mine, so I want everybody to do right by her.”
Harris speaks at the Democratic National Convention in support of then-President Obama’s reelection, saying, “President Obama will fight for working families. He will fight to level the economic playing field and fight to give every American the same fair shot my family had.”
Obama garners controversy by referring to Harris at a fundraiser as the “best-looking attorney general in the country,” sparking an outcry that was commented on by everyone from politicos to Liza Minnelli and led to Obama ultimately apologizing to the then-attorney general—and then joking about the incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner by suggesting U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder was offended.
Harris is floated as a potential replacement for Holder after he announces he’s stepping down; though she publicly said in 2014 she wasn’t interested in the job, Holder told the Post Obama discussed her in 2015 as a possible successor, and the then-attorney general called Harris to “gauge her interest” in the role.
Obama endorses Harris during her Senate run in California as she faced off against fellow Democrat Loretta Sanchez, thanks to the state’s unique electoral system that allows members of the same party to compete in a general election.
During both politicians’ final weeks in office, Harris (representing California as AG) sues the Obama administration in federal court over its offshore fracking policy, accusing it of violating federal law and posing a danger to California’s coastline.
Harris met with Obama twice during her first presidential run in the 2020 primaries and spoke with him by phone, according to CNN, though Obama never formally endorsed a candidate in the race until now-President Joe Biden became the presumptive nominee.
Obama endorses the Biden-Harris ticket ahead of the 2020 election and campaigns in support of them, with the Post reporting that since Biden was elected, Obama has provided “advice and counsel” to Harris throughout her vice presidency.
Obama endorsed Harris after Biden dropped out of the race—though he waited a few days before doing so, drawing speculation—and Harris has hired a number of ex-Obama staffers for her campaign, including Holder, who helped run her search for a running mate.
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How Can I Watch Obama’s Dnc Speech?
Both Obama and his wife Michelle Obama will speak Tuesday night at the DNC, with an advisor telling CNN the former president will deliver a “forceful affirmation that Harris is the right leader for the moment.” The speech will take place in primetime, with the convention speakers getting underway starting at 6:30 p.m. EDT. The convention will be available to watch on major television networks, as well as online through social networks including YouTube, Instagram and TikTok and on the event’s official website.
Surprising Fact
In addition to Harris’ direct history with Obama and his administration, she also has a notable tie through her family: the vice president’s brother-in-law Tony West served in the Obama administration as associate attorney general.
Tangent
Harris drew comparisons to Obama at the first night of the convention, when she took the stage wearing a tan pantsuit. The outfit choice immediately sparked speculation that Harris was referencing a tan suit Obama wore during his presidency, which was criticized by some conservative commentators as being “un-presidential.”
What To Watch For
What Obama’s role in Harris’ campaign will look like leading up to Election Day. The Post reports the former president is stepping back and waiting to hear from the Harris campaign how he can best be of assistance rather than “inserting himself” into her campaign efforts, though having former Obama aides like former campaign manager David Plouffe working for Harris will likely ease communication between the two camps. “He’s on the receipt mode,” one Obama adviser told the Post. “The campaign is running the show.”
