Biden kingmaker announces support for Kamala Harris

Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC), a prominent Black Democrat who helped President Joe Biden achieve the position of Democratic nominee in 2020, announced he believes Vice President Kamala Harris should be the Democratic presidential nominee following the departure of Biden from the 2024 presidential race.

Biden announced he would quit the presidential race earlier this afternoon.

“I’ve had the honor and privilege of Calling President Joe Biden a friend for many years," Clyburn said in a statement. "When I endorsed then-candidate Biden in 2020, I noted how I could think of no one with the integrity and no one more committed to the fundamental principles that form the foundation of our great country than him. He has used those principles to bring the American people together through incredible trials and unfamiliar terrain. He’s pursued an agenda that addresses the inequities in our health care system, the unaffordability of higher education, our outdated roads and bridges, the gun violence epidemic, access to affordable high-speed broadband, and so much more. President Biden has improved the lives of countless Americans through his selfless service, and I thank him for his unparagoned leadership.”

“One of President Biden’s first decisions as the nominee was to select a running mate that he believed possessed the values and vision necessary to continue this country’s pursuit toward a ‘more perfect Union,'" he added. "I echo the good judgment he demonstrated in selecting Vice President Harris to lead this nation alongside him, and I am proud to follow his lead in support of her candidacy to succeed him as the Democratic Party’s 2024 nominee for President.”President Barack Obama, however, did not immediately endorse Vice President Harris."