Hillary Clinton Endorses Joe Biden for President

By Ellise Shafer

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Former Democratic Party presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has officially endorsed Joe Biden for president, following in the footsteps of other major Democratic figures in an attempt to beat President Donald Trump in his race for re-election.

Clinton made the announcement at the beginning of Biden’s virtual town hall on Tuesday, during which Biden introduced Clinton as “the woman who should be president of the United States right now.”

“I am thrilled to be part of your campaign and to not only endorse you, but to help highlight a lot of the issues that are at stake in this presidential election,” Clinton said. “Just think of the difference it would make right now if we had a president who not only listened to the science … but brought us together and showed the kind of compassion and caring that we need from our president, which Joe Biden has been exemplifying throughout his entire life.”

She teased her excitement about the endorsement Tuesday morning on Twitter, posting a candid photo of herself, Biden and former President Barack Obama in the Oval Office.

Clinton and Biden also discussed the impact of coronavirus on women during the town hall.

“Eighty percent of all healthcare workers in America are women, and one out of three jobs held by women in our country has been classified as essential,” Clinton said. “This is an issue that effects all of us — young and old, from every kind of background and walk of life. But it is having a disproportionate impact on the frontlines on women working, on women caring for others, on women holding down the home as we go through this together.”

In 2016, Clinton was chosen as the democratic nominee, making her the first woman to lead a major party during a presidential election. She joins Obama and house speaker Nancy Pelosi in endorsing Biden, as well as former 2020 candidates Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren .

Although in-person voting has now been put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, Biden had a run of primary victories in March, most notably winning 10 out of 14 states on Super Tuesday.

Clinton’s husband, former President Bill Clinton, has yet to endorse Biden.