Barack, Michelle Obama endorse Kamala Harris

Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama have endorsed Kamala Harris in her White House bid giving the vice president the expected but still crucial backing of the nationrsquos two most popular DemocratsThe endorsement announced Friday morning in a video showing Harris accepting a joint phone call from the former first couple comes as Harris continues to build momentum as the partyrsquos likely nominee after President Joe Bidenrsquos decision to end his reelection bid and endorse his secondincommand against Republican nominee and former President Donald TrumpIt also highlights the friendship and potentially historic link between the nationrsquos first Black president and the first woman first Black woman and first person of Asian descent to serve as vice president who is now vying to break those same barriers at the presidential rank ldquoWe called to say Michelle and I couldnrsquot be prouder to endorse you and do everything we can to get you through this election and into the Oval Officerdquo the former president told Harris who is shown taking the call as she walks backstage at an event trailed by a Secret Service agent Michelle Obama said ldquoI canrsquot have this phone call without saying to my girl Kamala I am proud of youlsquoLook forward to getting therersquoHarris who has known the Obamas since before his election in 2008 thanked them for their friendship and said she looks forward to ldquogetting there being on the roadrdquo with them in the threemonth blitz before Election Day on Nov 5Netanyahu to meet Trump mending yearslong riftAs president Donald Trump went well beyond his predecessors in fulfilling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahursquos top wishes from the United States Yet by the time Trump left the White House relations between the two had broken down after Netanyahu rapidly congratulated Joe Biden on his 2020 presidential victory On Friday the two men will meet facetoface for the first time in nearly four years in a test of whether the relationship can be mended Both have an interest in getting past their differences For Trump now the Republican presidential nominee the meeting could cast him as an ally and statesman as well as sharpen efforts by Republicans to portray themselves as the party most loyal to IsraellsquoIsrael has right to defend itself but how also mattersrsquoKamala Harris with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu PicAFPStating that Israel has a right to defend itself but how it does so matters said US Vice President Kamala Harris after her meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu highlighting the human suffering in Gaza including the death of far too many innocent civilians ldquoIrsquove said it many times but it bears repeating Israel has a right to defend itself and how it does so matters Hamas is a brutal terrorist organisation On October 7 Hamas triggered this war Hamas has committed horrific acts of violence and took 250 hostages There are American citizens who remain captive in Gazardquo Harris told reportersThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever