Former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton is the most recent of the Democrats to officially endorse Joe Biden’s presidential campaign. The announcement on Tuesday came during a Biden campaign virtual town hall discussing the impact of COVID-19 on women, which Clinton participated in. “I am thrilled to be part of your campaign, to not only endorse you but to help highlight a lot of these issues that are at stake in this presidential election,” she said.
Acknowledging her endorsement follows other Democrats, Clinton called Biden a “friend” and said she wanted to add her voice to those who endorsed him before her. Clinton’s endorsement follows Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and former President Barack Obama’s support for Biden. Like Warren, not only did Clinton emphasize Biden’s experience in government—she also highlighted the importance of having a president who can navigate a crisis well and be prepared for it: "This is a moment where we need a leader, a president, like Joe Biden,” she said, referring to the current novel coronavirus pandemic.
While Clinton did not mention Donald Trump directly, she referred to him and his stupid commentary subtly: “Just think of what a difference it would make right now if we had a president who not only listened to the science [...] but brought us together,” Clinton said. “Think of what it would mean if we had a real president,” she continued, rather than someone who “plays one on TV.” Trump has continuously been spreading false information during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most recently he suggested that disinfectants be considered a possible treatment for the virus.
Clinton remains a strong feminist figure for women across the country. Her historic 2016 campaign inspired many women to believe a woman in the White House was and is possible. Although Biden did at one point criticize her campaign for not reaching out to certain working-class voters as reported by the Associated Press, he did eventually support and campaign for her. Clinton’s endorsement follows Biden’s pledge to add a woman vice president to his ticket, bolstering his support of women nationwide.
Of course, the Trump campaign had to comment on the duo supporting each other: “There is no greater concentration of Democrat establishment than Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton together,” Brad Parscale, Trump’s campaign manager, said in a statement, the AP reported. “Both of them carry the baggage of decades in the Washington swamp and both of them schemed to keep the Democrat nomination from Bernie Sanders.”
While the two had also previously competed against one another for the presidency in 2008, they ultimately worked with one another during the Obama administration when Clinton served as secretary of state. Despite their differences, the two of them called each other friends and showed the unity present in the Democratic Party against Trump. During the town hall, Clinton reflected on a time where she had breakfast with Biden in which they talked not only about work but their personal lives. She ended her endorsement with this, noting: "I wish he were president right now."