Barack Obama headlines DNC on Tuesday, will campaign for Harris
Adds background, paragraph 3; Trump rally, paragraph 12; Republican response paragraphs 13-14
By Jarrett Renshaw, Jeff Mason
CHICAGO, Aug 20 (Reuters) -Former U.S. President Barack Obama will endorse his longtime political ally Kamala Harris on Tuesday night in a high-profile speech that aims to boost her presidential bid over Republican Donald Trump.
At 63, Obama maintains a legacy that looms large in moments of crisis, including during the messy deliberations that ultimately led President Joe Biden to step out of the race and endorse Harris, 59.
A video of Obama and his wife Michelle Obama congratulating Harris in a phone call has been viewed by millions, and top advisers from Obama's 2008 presidential bid have signed on with Harris' campaign. The former president now reaches out to Harris with advice, according to a Harris aide.
Nearly eight years after the end of his presidency, Obama remains one of the most popular Democrats in the country, eclipsing Harris and the current administration, public opinion polls show.
In a prime-time address to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Tuesday, the first Black U.S. president lends his own star power to a campaign, light on policy specifics, that has to date coasted on joyful vibes and the relief of Democrats delighted that Biden's flailing campaign is over.
Biden took center stage on Monday, the convention's opening night, drawing an extended standing ovation from the party faithful and, even with five months left in office, delivering a farewell speech to the party that stretched well past midnight Eastern time (0400 GMT).
Like his successors, Obama presided over a closely divided country. But his victories were enviable by today's standards: he won in 2008 and 2012 by healthy Electoral College margins, carrying states like Florida, Iowa and Ohio that are now considered out of reach for Harris and running mate Tim Walz.
But Trump also launched his political career through racist attacks on Obama's citizenship status and then succeeded him in the White House, a bitter legacy for liberals that Obama may reflect upon in his speech.
In his speech, Obama will outline what he believes will lift Harris to victory while also warning Democrats about the tough task they face over the next 11 weeks, according to a source familiar with the remarks.
"President Obama believes this is an all-hands-on-deck moment, and is committed to doing all he can to elect Vice President Harris and Democrats across the country," said Eric Schultz, an Obama adviser.
Obama will make appearances in coming weeks where he believes he can help persuade voters, especially in the battleground states likely to decide the election, Schultz said.
A TIGHT RACE
Trump, meanwhile, will campaign in a Michigan town one month after white supremacists rallied there. His campaign says he is not trying to stir up racial tensions for political gain, though Trump himself has made racist remarks about Harris, who would be the first Black woman and South Asian person to be elected president.
Trump's fellow Republicans say Democrats are too focused on attacking him and celebrating Harris' candidacy at their convention, rather than saying what they would do if they retained the White House.
"I didn't hear anything about public policy," Republican Representative Byron Donalds said at a news conference at a Trump-owned building in Chicago. "All I heard was Donald Trump and joy. That's all I got. That is not a vision."
Harris and Trump are locked in a tight presidential race that will likely be decided in a handful of battleground states, polls show.
Former first lady Michelle Obama is also expected address the convention, emphasizing the need for the country to turn the page on fear and division, according to a source familiar with her plans.
Her name has often been tossed around as a dream presidential candidate for Democrats; to their dismay, she has shown no interest in electoral politics.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll early this month showed that 55% of Americans - and 94% of Democrats - viewed Michelle Obama favorably, higher than Harris' 37% approval rating nationally and 81% within the party.
Harris and Walz will travel to Milwaukee on Tuesday to attend a campaign rally. It will be Harris’s seventh visit to Wisconsin this year and her third since becoming the Democratic presidential candidate.
Harris's remarks will be livestreamed into Chicago's United Center, the site of the convention.
Reporting By Jarrett Renshaw and Jeff Mason; Additional reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; writing by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Trevor Hunnicutt, Howard Goller and Jonathan Oatis
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