Former President Barack Obama has supported the political career of Tim Walz, currently Vice President Kamala Harris's running mate, since it began in 2006 with a House run.

Obama wasn't even president when he began to support Walz's first House race, and his support continued through several House terms until Walz got elected governor in 2019.

"I just remember standing on that stage, and we were coming off it, and there was someone there who was a supporter of mine who said, ‘Stop, let me take a picture,’" Walz said in 2017 about Obama's support. 

He recalled getting a photo with Obama and then Hennepin County attorney Amy Klobuchar, who later became a senator.

Mutual support

 "A future congressman, a future senator, and a future president," Walz said the photo was captioned when he framed it in his house.

When Obama ran for president in 2008, Walz endorsed him over Hillary Clinton--not a surprising move given Walz's far-left views.

Now Walz is running to be vice president partway through his second term as governor, with Obama still supporting him and endorsing his candidacy.

"The voters of southern Minnesota overwhelmingly supported Senator Barack Obama and his hopeful vision for positive change," Walz said in 2008, also saying that he thought both Obama and Clinton would do a good job of supposedly correcting and counterbalancing the policies of George W. Bush during the previous eight years.

More enthusiasm

Harris has been using mainly former Obama staffers to build her campaign since President Joe Biden stepped aside last month and left her as the Democrat nominee.

Advisor David Plouffe was instrumental in getting Obama elected in 2008 and re-elected in 2012.

Obama's former Attorney General Eric Holder vetted her vice presidential candidates, and has retained Jennifer O'Malley Dillon as her campaign manager. Dillon was Obama's 2012 deputy campaign manager and led Biden's 2024 re-elect effort. 

It did take Obama several days to endorse Harris after she locked up the required delegates, but he has shown more enthusiasm for Walz.

It's possible Obama had a hand in Harris picking Walz and that's why he decided to endorse her.

Harris and Walz are acting like old friends, but can they convince voters they aren't far left radicals?