Obama praises 'brother' Biden at DNC, weeks after reports of his role in pushing Kamala Harris as a replacement

 CHICAGO – Former President Obama addressed the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago on Tuesday night, offering high praise for President Biden just weeks after reports surfaced that he had a role in removing Biden from the re-election campaign.

“It’s been 16 years since I had the honor of accepting this party’s nomination for president. And while it may be hard to believe since I haven’t aged a bit, it’s true. Reflecting on that time, I can say without a doubt that one of my best decisions as your nominee was asking Joe Biden to be my vice president,” Obama stated at the DNC.

“Despite coming from different backgrounds—aside from our shared Irish heritage—Joe and I grew to be like brothers. Over the eight sometimes challenging years we worked together, I came to admire not just Joe’s intelligence and experience, but his empathy, decency, and unwavering belief that everyone in this country deserves a fair chance.”

"History will remember Joe Biden as a remarkable president who defended democracy during a critical time. I’m proud to call him my president and even prouder to call him my friend," the 44th president remarked about his former vice president.

Kamala Harris became the Democratic nominee for president after Biden withdrew from the race following a troubling June debate performance against former President Trump. During the debate, Biden struggled with his train of thought, stumbled over his words, and seemed less energetic than in previous public appearances. This performance led to increasing concern from traditional Democratic allies and mainstream media about Biden’s mental sharpness and age.

Despite repeated denials from the White House and Biden campaign that he would drop out, Biden announced on a Sunday afternoon last month that he was ending his campaign and would complete his final months in office.

Before Biden’s withdrawal, Obama’s allies were notably active in urging the president to step aside in favor of a candidate they believed could more effectively challenge Trump.

Last month, David Axelrod, Obama’s former chief campaign strategist, remarked that Biden was "not winning this race." Meanwhile, actor and long-time Obama friend George Clooney stirred controversy by urging Biden to withdraw from the race in a striking op-ed. This came just weeks after Clooney had co-hosted a high-profile campaign event in Los Angeles with Biden and Obama.