Obama Eyes Hitting the Election Campaign Trail for Biden Soon

By Tiziana Celine Oct 14 2020, 00:10 AM EDT

Barack Obama Holds Election Night Gathering In Chicago's Grant Park — CHICAGO - NOVEMBER 04: U.S. President elect Barack Obama (L) and Vice-President elect Joe Biden wave to their supporters after Obama gave his victory speech during an election night gathering in Grant Park on November 4, 2008 in Chicago, Illinois. Obama defeated Republican nominee Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) by a wide margin in the election to become the first African-American U.S. President elect. Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images

Former President Barack Obama is anticipated to hit the electoral campaign trail for his former vice president, Joe Biden. The latest development may help mobilize Democrats as the presidential race reaches its final weeks of pivotal significance.

"President Obama plans to hit the trail soon, in addition to all the other activities he's undertaken all year in support of electing VP Biden," an aide to the former president told ABC News. "As he's said, we all have to do everything we can to win on November 3," the source added.

On behalf of Biden's campaign, Obama engaged in many fundraisers and gave a primetime speech during the Democratic National Convention in which he excoriated President Donald Trump over his treatment of the coronavirus pandemic and praised the leadership of Biden.

Hitting the roads on the last capaign stretch

The former president has yet to fly to any of the conventional swing states to lobby for Biden, mainly due to the former vice president's team's drastically diminished in-person presence amid the ongoing pandemic.

Despite the pared-back on-the-ground presence, Democrats have remained eager to include Barack Obama in their advertising, especially with most areas already in the process of voting, as they seek to increase turnout.

A video featuring Obama was also released on Tuesday by the Democratic National Committee that encourages voters to learn about their voting choices with state-specific videos across 24 states, including key battlegrounds.

Obama said in the video that so much is at stake in this election. He pointed out different situations such as getting the pandemic under control to building a fairer economy to taking on climate change to protecting our health care. According to Obama, history shows that the easiest way to make sure voting is part of making a plan. Having a plan, he said, has never been more important.

Biden's reaction

Asked about Obama's involvement as he boarded his campaign plane on his way to Florida on Tuesday, Biden told reporters that he thinks his former boss is "doing enough" to help his campaign.

"He's doing enough for our campaign, he'll be out on the trail, and he's doing well," Biden said on the tarmac in New Castle, Delaware.

In recent days, Biden has increased the pace of his journey, campaigning in Ohio on Monday and last week visiting Arizona, Florida, Nevada and Pennsylvania, all states that could prove to be crucial to an Electoral College victory.

During the Democratic National Convention, the former President's sole trip on Biden's behalf came. The former president flew to Philadelphia to deliver a primetime speech remotely.

Campaign in virtual format

Obama is poised to make speeches himself. Former First Lady Michelle Obama is not planning to attend the campaign in person. In the final days of the campaign, the prospect of joint Obama-Biden appearances could happen.

The former president's campaigning has mainly been performed in a virtual format since continuing his former vice president in April. He has joined with Biden and his running mate, Kamala Harris, in online grassroots fundraisers and videoing campaign videos with both of the candidates in recent months.