Caroline Kennedy, the only daughter of former president John F. Kennedy, endorsed Joe Biden for the presidency in an editorial in the Boston Globe on Tuesday.
Kennedy endorsed Barack Obama in 2008 and she served as his administration’s ambassador to Japan from 2013 to 2017. In the editorial, she highlighted the importance of the 2020 election, writing, “President Trump has done immense damage to our institutions, exploited our differences, and shredded our credibility around the world … it’s not just policy proposals that are on the ballot. Our fundamental values are at stake as never before in my lifetime.”
Kennedy added that during her time as the ambassador to Japan, she saw that Biden “radiated American optimism and generosity of spirit. He made clear that America would always stand by our allies, and that we were committed to keeping the region peaceful and prosperous. He delivered tough messages as well, but he did it in private, with skill and respect.”
She also drew attention to Biden’s pitch that he’s able to attract voters from all branches of the party. She wrote, “This election is about winning. We need a nominee who can compete in every state, who can bring wandering Democrats and independents back to the fold, and even attract some Republicans. Biden at the top of the ticket is our best bet to win the White House, keep the gains we made in the House, and put the Senate in play.”
Kennedy’s endorsement came with a number of others for Biden, including the California secretary of state and the former governor of South Carolina, which is one of the four early states in the presidential primary.
? New @JoeBiden endorsements come in from across the country, including Caroline Kennedy, former SC Governor Jim Hodges, Talledega, AL Mayor Timothy Ragland, former Sen. Mark Pryor, CA Secretary of State Alex Padilla, and Roanoke, VA Mayor Sherman Lea. https://t.co/XRbveH2qAt
— Andrew Bates (@AndrewBatesNC) February 4, 2020
Biden is still leading in the polls but Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has been surging over the past few weeks with a pitch that he is able to beat President Donald Trump in November.