Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is thanking former President Barack Obama for his endorsement.
On Tuesday morning, Obama released a video in which he endorsed Biden for president, as IJR has previously reported.
In a statement responding to the endorsement, Biden said, “Jill and I are so thankful to Barack and Michelle for their support — both politically and personally.”
The statement continued, “Their friendship and the connection between our families has been a great gift.”
“Serving for eight years as President Barack Obama’s vice president was among the greatest honors of my life,” Biden added.
He then praised Obama for handling the financial crisis in 2009, “During that crisis, President Obama showed how a president should lead. By taking responsibility. By working with governors and mayors. By understanding the pain so many American families were feeling. By seeking to unify the nation in common purpose.”
“President Obama understands, as I do, that we will come through this crisis stronger. And then we’ll not only rebuild this nation — we will transform it,” Biden added.
Obama’s endorsement comes after Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) suspended his presidential campaign. Sanders also endorsed Biden one day before Obama, as IJR has previously reported.
The former president stated that he would not endorse a candidate until after the primary, as he did in 2016, because he did not want to be seen as putting his thumb on the scale of the primary.
While some perceived the lack of an endorsement as a snub of Biden, he said he asked Obama not to endorse him.
