Barack and Michelle Obama endorse Kamala via planned, filmed phone call—she still hasn't received a single vote

Barack and Michelle Obama endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency on a planned phone call. This comes as reports have said the former president believes the VP is "incompetent." Barack appeared to want an open process for the Democrats to secure a nomination when President Joe Biden initially dropped out on Sunday. 

On Friday, the Obamas made a public endorsement in the planned phone call with Harris that was shot on video. "Michelle and I called our friend Kamala Harris. We told her we think she’ll make a fantastic President of the United States, and that she has our full support," Obama wrote in the caption of the video. Kamala Harris was not on the Democrat presidential primary ballot for the 2024 election, and therefore did not receive votes for her likely replacement of Biden as the Democrat nominee.

The Obamas called Harris saying, "We called to say we couldn't be prouder to endorse you and to do everything we can to get you through this election and into the Oval Office." 

Harris responded, "This means so much to me. I am looking forward to doing this with the two of you. Doug and I both." A video of the phone call ends with a "Harris for President" logo.  

However, when Biden initially dropped out of the race, the former president appeared to endorse an open nomination process instead, saying, "I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges." Biden later endorsed Harris.

Reports following Obama's non-endorsement earlier this week said that the former president had avoided making the endorsement of the VP because he didn't think Harris would beat Trump in the upcoming 2024 election, per the New York Post. The outlet reported it spoke to a source close to the Biden family who commented, “Obama’s very upset because he knows she can’t win." 

“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 source told the Post. “When you are running for president, there are things you can and can’t say.”