Vice President Joseph R. Biden, a Democratic presidential candidate, released a new campaign ad Tuesday narrated by former President Barack Obama, despite Mr. Biden saying he wanted to win the race without his former running mate’s help.
In the voiceover, pulled from Mr. Biden Medal of Freedom ceremony in 2017, Mr. Obama calls his vice president “an extraordinary man, with an extraordinary career in public service. Somebody who has devoted his entire professional life to service to this country.”
However, in a recent interview with ABC’s “The View” Friday, Mr. Biden said he asked his 2008 running mate to hold off endorsing his presidential bid because he wanted to win on his own.
“I didn’t want it to look like he was putting his thumb on the scale here. I’m going to do this based on who I am, not by the president going out and trying to say, ’This is the guy’ you should be with. That’s why I asked him not to. I’m incredibly proud to have served with him,” the Delaware Democrat said.
This echoed comments he said to a pool of reporters Thursday at a train station.
“I asked President Obama not to endorse, and he doesn’t want to. … Whoever wins this nomination should win it on their own merits,” Mr. Biden said.
Mr. Biden’s campaign has also been using imagery with the former president for donation advertisements.
According to CNN, who spoke to advisers of the former president, Mr. Obama knows Mr. Biden is using his former words and gave him his blessing to do so.
Mr. Biden’s campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
• Bailey Vogt can be reached at bvogt@washingtontimes.com.
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