Barack Obama has congratulated Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on winning the US presidential election.
In a statement released on Twitter Obama said he ‘couldn’t be prouder’ and thanked everyone who had been involved in the campaign.
The 44th president, who served from 2008 to 2016, said his former vice president had won a ‘historic and decisive victory.’
‘In this election, under circumstances never experienced, Americans turned out in numbers never seen,’ he said.
‘And once every vote is counted, President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris will have won a historic and decisive victory.’
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Obama beat Biden in the 2008 Democratic primary but then picked him to be his running mate in the presidential election against Republican John McCain.
The two became close friends during their time in the White House and Obama has been out on the campaign trail on Biden’s behalf extensively over the last couple of weeks.
In his statement Obama said Biden ‘will do the job with the best interests of every American at heart’ while recognising the challenges that are ahead.
‘We’re fortunate that Joe’s got what it takes to be President and already carries himself that way,’ he said.
‘Because when he walks into the White House in January, he’ll face a series of extraordinary challenges no incoming President ever has – a raging pandemic, an unequal economy and justice system, a democracy at risk, and a climate in peril.
‘I know he’ll do the job with the best interests of every American at heart, whether or not he had their vote.’
Obama thanked all those who had got involved in the campaign and told them to ‘enjoy the moment’ and to ‘stay engaged.’
He warned the election results show the country is ‘deeply and bitterly divided’ and said people need to reach out beyond their comfort zones, listen to others and ‘lower the temperature.’
Pledging the support of himself and his wife Michelle, Obama said: ‘our democracy needs us more than ever.’
Fellow Democrat and former president Bill Clinton has also sent his congratulations.
He tweeted: ‘America has spoken and democracy has won. Now we have a President-Elect and Vice President-Elect who will serve all of us and bring us all together. Congratulations to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on your momentous victory!’
Photo Credit: Getty
