US presidential polls: Why hasn’t Obama endorsed Kamala Harris yet?

US Vice President Kamala Harris, in whom a majority of Democrats have reposed their confidence, to run for the presidential elections, is yet to receive the same endorsement from former president Barack Obama, an influential voice in the party.

Even though Harris, 59, has been supported by top Democrats including President Biden himself as well as former president Bill Clinton, former vice president Hillary Clinton, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Obama’s deliberate silence on her candidature has triggered a debate in political circles.

Praise for Biden, silence for Harris

It became apparent when Obama didn’t make any mention of Harris – who is likely to be officially nominated as the Democratic candidate at the Democratic National Convention on August 19 – in his social media post soon after Biden announced his exit from the presidential race.

While announcing that he was pulling out of the race for the White House, Biden on July 21, endorsed Harris to take his place.

Soon after, Obama took to Medium to post a piece on Biden, recollecting his political journey with him and why he chose the latter as his running mate in 2008.

“Joe Biden has been one of America’s most consequential presidents, as well as a dear friend and partner to me. Today, we’ve also been reminded — again — that he’s a patriot of the highest order,” he wrote.

Stating that Biden’s exit from the presidential race throws open ways to uncharted waters for the Democratic party, Obama said he has confidence that his party will choose an able nominee to take his place. This was a clear indication that the former president does not want to or isn’t ready to endorse Harris yet.

"We will be navigating uncharted waters in the days ahead. But I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges,” he wrote.

Even at a time when top Democrats and members of Congress were clamouring to replace Biden with Harris as the presidential candidate, Obama kept a studied silence, never mentioning her name in his public speeches.

Why Obama is mum on Harris?

Many Republicans opine that Obama feels Harris isn’t the right candidate to take on former president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

The New York Post quoting a source close to the Biden family said Obama, in fact, is “upset” as he knows Harris, whom he deems “incompetent”, can’t win against Trump.

“Obama knows she’s just incompetent – the border czar who never visited the border, saying that all migrants should have health insurance. She cannot navigate the landmines that are ahead of her,” the Post quoted the source as saying.

The source reportedly said that Obama’s choice for the post was Arizona senator and former astronaut Mark Kelly, who as per reports is now being considered to be Harris’ running mate.

‘Too early’, say analysts

Political analysts have another theory. Toby Harnden of The Telegraph writes that Obama is yet to throw his weight behind Harris as he feels that it is best if Harris “emerges as the Democratic candidate amid a wave of excitement rather than a weary acceptance that she is next in line”. It is also an affirmation to Harris’ statement that she intends to “earn and win” the nomination.

Harris, the first black female vice president, is said to be the best bet for the Democratic party which would have had a better choice had Biden withdrawn a year or more ago.

Harnden says with the Trump campaign already accusing Democrats of being anti-democratic after the stepdown of Biden from the race, any support to Harris from Obama at this point may prove counterproductive.

Obama’s silence on Harris could also be an attempt to respect Biden – traces of which were also visible in his note to the President – as well as prevent a bitter outburst from him as Obama in the past chose Hillary over Biden as the 2016 Democratic candidate.

‘Obama may be waiting it out’

Robert Wolf, former economic advisor in the Obama administration, calls the entire debate a “nothing burger”.

“In 2016, he (Obama) didn’t nominate or support Hillary Clinton until June. He didn’t support Biden until April. He doesn’t get involved in primaries until there is a solidified nominee,” Wolf told FoX News.

A report in NBC News said that Obama may endorse Harris soon and that he has been in regular contact with her.

"Aides to Obama and Harris also have discussed arranging for the two of them to appear together on the campaign trail, though no date has been set," the report said.

Harris has already been endorsed by 531 of the 1,986 delegates she needs to be officially nominated as the Democratic candidate.