--- title: Barack Obama Endorses Hillary Clinton for President description: The President took to Instagram and Facebook to make clear that he, too, is with Clinton's presidential campaign. canonical: https://time.com/4362633/barack-obama-hillary-clinton-endorsement/ author: Philip Elliott article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-06-09T18:03:34.000Z article:modified_time: 2023-12-13T08:28:13.000Z article:section: Politics og:title: President Obama Endorses Hillary Clinton for President og:description: The President joins the #imwithher crowd og:url: https://time.com/4362633/barack-obama-hillary-clinton-endorsement/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9c2c7df16d13b1fe/698897263c1639074f45d94e/obama-clinton-endorsement.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: U.S. President Obama attends a comedy show celebrating Military Appreciation Month as well as the 5th anniversary of Joining Forces and the 75th anniversary of the USO at Joint Base Andrews in Clinton, Maryland og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: President Obama Endorses Hillary Clinton for President twitter:description: The President joins the #imwithher crowd twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9c2c7df16d13b1fe/698897263c1639074f45d94e/obama-clinton-endorsement.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # President Obama Endorses Hillary Clinton for President > Sponsored content. 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Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ## Video: President Barack Obama endorses Hillary Clinton for President [Watch (HLS stream): President Barack Obama endorses Hillary Clinton for President](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/RQB9hrQN.m3u8) (3:15)  _Published 2016-06-09_  by [Philip Elliott](https://time.com/author/philip-elliott/)  ## Philip Elliott Senior Correspondent Updated: Dec 13, 2023 8:28 AM UTCPublished: Jun 9, 2016 6:03 PM UTC  President Barack Obama attends a comedy show celebrating Military Appreciation Month as well as the 5th anniversary of Joining Forces and the 75th anniversary of the USO at Joint Base Andrews in Clinton, Maryland, U.S. May 5, 2016\. REUTERS/Carlos Barria President Barack Obama attends a comedy show celebrating Military Appreciation Month as well as the 5th anniversary of Joining Forces and the 75th anniversary of the USO at Joint Base Andrews in Clinton, Maryland, U.S. May 5, 2016\. REUTERS/Carlos Barria Carlos Barria—Reuters  by [Philip Elliott](https://time.com/author/philip-elliott/)  ## Philip Elliott Senior Correspondent Updated: Dec 13, 2023 8:28 AM UTCPublished: Jun 9, 2016 6:03 PM UTC President Obama is making clear that he, too, is with her. Presumptive Democratic nominee [Hillary Clinton](http://time.com/4361201/hillary-clinton-nomination-history/?xid=homepage)’s campaign shared [a video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9W0F2mz1jc) on social media on Thursday announcing that the President was endorsing his onetime rival and former Secretary of State. “I don’t think there’s ever been someone so qualified to hold this office,” Obama says in the video. “I want to congratulate Hillary Clinton on making history as the presumptive Democratic nominee for President of the United States.” “I want those of you have been with me to be the beginning of this incredible journey to be the first to know that I’m with her,” Obama added in a rollout that was spread across Clinton’s social media footprint. He is the biggest name yet to join the social movement declaring the #imwithher. “I am fired up, I cannot wait to get out there and campaign for Hillary.” **Read More:** [_Why Presidents Wait to Endorse Their Successors_](http://time.com/4362727/barack-obama-hillary-clinton-endorsement-analysis/) The announcement came just after [Obama met with Clinton’s Democratic rival Bernie Sanders](http://time.com/4362969/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-barack-obama/?xid=homepage), who has mathematically lost the nomination but not his spark. Sanders has so far refused to yield to Clinton, who made history on Tuesday by becoming the first woman to lead a major party ticket. Presidents typically endorse their party’s nominee, and his backing of Clinton has long been expected. Clinton served as his Secretary of State during his first term, and the two have developed a deep friendship and mutual respect. Obama has been telling allies that he looks forward to campaigning for her in the fall, and many of his former aides are already at work on her campaign in Brooklyn. The pair will appear at a campaign event next week in Green Bay, Wis. Thursday’s endorsement matters in that it cements his allegiance—and further signals that top Democrats think it is time for Sanders to abandon his campaign. Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump chimed in on Twitter to criticize the endorsement. > [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/740972317191352320) And Clinton responded in kind. > [](https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/740973710593654784) White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest responded to a question about Trump’s tweet at the press briefing on Thursday. Earnest said that he was not “not surprised” by the fact that the presumptive Republican nominee tweeted. Earnest refuted Trump’s argument, saying the President and his former Secretary of State do not agree on everything. “They do not have the same opinion on every issue,” Earnest said. In the video, he noted, “the president says he does not believe that there has been someone more qualified, a candidate more qualified, to hold this office. “ ## Transcript For more a year now, across thousands of miles, and all 50 states, tens of millions of Americans have made their voices heard. Today, I just want to add mine. I want to congratulate Hillary Clinton on making history as the presumptive Democratic nominee for President of the United States. Look, I know how hard this job can be. That's why I know Hillary will be so good at it. In fact, I don't think there's ever been someone so qualified to hold this office. She's got the courage, the compassion, and the heart to get the job done. And I say that as somebody who had to debate her more than 20 times. Even after our own hard- fought campaign, in a testament to her character, she agreed to serve our country as Secretary of State. And from the decision we made in the situation room to get Bin Laden, to our pursuit of diplomacy in capitals around the world, I have seen her judgment I've seen her toughness. I've seen her commitment to our values, up close. I've seen her determination to give every American a fair shot at opportunity, no matter how tough the fight was. That's what has always driven her. And it still does. So I want those of you who've been with me from the beginning of this incredible journey, to be the first to know, And I am with her. I am fired up and i cannot wait to get out there and campaign for Hillary. i also want to thank everybody who turned out to vote and who worked so hard for our candidates. This has been a hard fought race. i know some say these primaries have somehow left the Democratic Party more divided. Well, they said that eight years ago, as well. But like eight years ago, there are millions of Americans, not just Democrats, who've cast their ballots for the very first time. And a lot of that is thanks to senator Bernie Sanders who has run an incredible campaign. I had a great meeting with him this week, and I thanked him for shining a spotlight on issues like economic inequality. For shining a spotlight on issues like economic inequality and the outsized influence of money in our politics and bringing young people into the process. Embracing that message is going to help us win in November, but more importantly, it'll make the Democratic Party stronger, and it will make America stronger. Secretary Clinton and Senator Sanders may have been rivals during this primary, but they're both patriots who loved this country and they share a vision for the America that we all believe in. An America that's hopeful. An America that's big- heated. An America that is strong and fair, and gives every child the same chance That we had. Those are the values that unite us as democrats. Those are the values that make America great. Those are the values that are gonna be tested in this election. And if we all come together in common effort, I'm convinced we won't just win in November, We'll build on the progress that we've made and we will win a brighter future for this country that we love. 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