Former President Barack Obama finally endorsed Joe Biden in a 12 minute video released on Tuesday.
After spending roughly the first minute and a half talking about the Coronavirus pandemic, Obama eventually got around to doing what Bernie Sanders did earlier this week, endorsing Biden as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
“I’m so proud to endorse Joe Biden for president,” Obama says in the video release.
Obama also took quite a bit of time to praise Bernie Sanders.
“Now, Joe will be a better candidate for having run the gauntlet of primaries and caucuses alongside one of the most impressive Democratic fields ever. Each of our candidates were talented and decent, with a track record of accomplishment, smart ideas and serious visions for the future. And that’s certainly true of the candidate who made it farther than any other, Bernie Sanders,” Obama said.
“Bernie’s an American original — a man who has devoted his life to giving voice to working people’s hopes, dreams, and frustrations. He and I haven’t always agreed on everything, but we’ve always shared a conviction that we have to make America a fairer, more just, more equitable society.”
“We have to look to the future,” Obama later added. “Bernie understands that and Joe understands that.”
“It’s one of the reasons Joe already has what is the most progressive platform of any major party nominee in history,” Obama added.
I’m proud to endorse my friend @JoeBiden for President of the United States. Let's go: https://t.co/maHVGRozkX
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) April 14, 2020
Obama’s endorsement of his former VP came after the former president refrained from endorsing Biden for months during the primary campaign.