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Up First briefing: Olympic opening ceremony; Obamas endorse Harris Barack and Michelle Obama endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president Friday. This comes a day after she reiterated her support for Israel. And, how to watch the Olympic opening ceremony.

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Barack and Michelle Obama have endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president, according to a video released by Harris' campaign this morning. The endorsement caps a whirlwind week of campaigning for Harris. Yesterday, she reiterated her support for Israel after she met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Still, she said she will not be silent about the humanitarian toll in Gaza. Harris expressed that Israel has the right to defend itself, but it's time for the war to end.

Vice President Harris and former President Barack Obama attend a White House event marking the anniversary of the Affordable Care Act. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/Getty Images North America hide caption

One of Mexicos most notorious drug lords, Ismael El Mayo Zambada, is now in U.S. custody. He founded the Sinaloa cartel along with Joaquin El Chapo Guzman. U.S. authorities announced last night that he was arrested in El Paso, Texas. He will appear before an American judge soon. Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of El Chapo and one of the cartel leaders, was also arrested. Zambada is arguably the most important drug lord in Mexico, and he had never been caught before.

Hours before the Olympic opening ceremony is set to begin, SNCF, the French national state-owned railway company, was severely disrupted by what it described as a massive attack. The incidents, which included arson, aimed at paralyzing several high-speed lines linking Paris to the rest of France. The Paris prosecutor has opened an investigation into the willful damage." Many trains have been diverted, others canceled altogether, and repairs are expected all weekend. Even so, the ceremony is expected to go off without a hitch. Athletes and performers will float on boats down the River Seine, where Coco Gauff and LeBron James will be U.S. flag bearers. Here's how to watch the opening ceremony.

NPR's reporters are in Paris, keeping you up-to-date with the events. Seeall of their Olympic coverage here.

by Steve Inskeep, Morning Edition and Up First host

NPRs Steve Inskeep and Taylor Haney speak to voters in Middle Hill, a historically Black neighborhood in Pittsburgh, July 24, 2024. NPR hide caption

Ive done this in just about every election for twenty years: show up in a politically interesting place and talk with any voter who will talk with me. I knock on doors; you learn so much when you meet people at home. If nobody is answering their door I try parks, parking lots, markets, anything. I ask people how theyre voting but try also to learn a little bit about their lives. Few people are political experts but everyone is expert in their experience.

Twenty or so interviews around Pittsburgh are not enough for a poll but are enough for impressions. I came away with three about Kamala Harris:

Ryan Reynolds is Deadpool and Hugh Jackman is Wolverine. Jay Maidment/20th Century Studios hide caption

Check out what NPR is watching, reading and listening to this weekend:

Movies: Ready for a Marvel-ous weekend? Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman finally team up in Deadpool & Wolverine to save the world. The film is full of fan service and Easter eggs.

TV: Tennis legends like John McEnroe and Billie Jean King discuss their legacies in the new PBS documentary series Gods of Tennis. The first episode features King, who faced sexism, and Arthur Ashe, who confronted racism.

Books: Wicked director Jon M. Chu talks about taking inspiration from his Chinese immigrant dad, growing up in Silicon Valley, how meeting Steven Spielberg changed his life and the movies he has worked on in the memoir Viewfinder.

Music: Chappell Roan, a rising 26-year-old pop star from the Midwest, is dominating festival stages with addictive songs like "HOT TO GO!." She's made a name for herself by not shying away from political topics.

Theater: Cats: The Jellicle Ball, a revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Cats, gets 10s across the board. In the reimagined version, they ditch the furry ears and velvet tails as the characters compete in the ballroom scene for trophies and a new chance at life.

Southwest Airlines unveiled big shifts in how it does business Thursday, saying it will throw out the open-seating model it has used for decades and introduce redeye flights. Here, an employee and passenger are seen at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport last year in Austin, Texas. Brandon Bell/Getty Images hide caption

This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.

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How to watch the Olympic opening ceremony. And, the Obamas endorse Harris - NPR

Podcast: Have Barack, Michelle Obama Endorsed Kamala Harris? : The NPR Politics Podcast Vice President Harris continues to pull in fistfuls of money and has secured another key endorsement from Barack and Michelle Obama.

And racist tropes helped Trump to dominate his Republican opponents in the 2016 presidential primary, but now some conservatives are warning Republicans to dial back similar attacks against Harris to avoid alienating key general election voters.

This episode: voting correspondent Ashley Lopez, national political correspondent Sarah McCammon, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.

The podcast is produced by Casey Morell and Kelli Wessinger. Our intern is Bria Suggs. Our editor is Eric McDaniel. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.

Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.

Vice President Kamala Harris reacts as President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama shake hands on stage after Obama called Biden "Vice President" during an event about the Affordable Care Act, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, April 5, 2022. Carolyn Kaste/AP hide caption

Vice President Kamala Harris reacts as President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama shake hands on stage after Obama called Biden "Vice President" during an event about the Affordable Care Act, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, April 5, 2022.

Vice President Harris continues to pull in fistfuls of money and has secured another key endorsement from Barack and Michelle Obama.

And racist tropes helped Trump to dominate his Republican opponents in the 2016 presidential primary, but now some conservatives are warning Republicans to dial back similar attacks against Harris to avoid alienating key general election voters.

The podcast is produced by Casey Morell and Kelli Wessinger. Our intern is Bria Suggs. Our editor is Eric McDaniel. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.

Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.

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Politics Roundup: Obamas endorse Harris; GOP women warn against bigoted tropes. - NPR

As endorsements for Kamala Harriss run for president poured in over the past four days, Barack and Michelle Obamas voices were notably absent. On Friday, however, the former president and First Lady laid the speculation to rest when they wholeheartedly endorsed Harris.

In a video shared by the Obamas and Harris, the couple calls Harris to tell her that theyre with her. Michelle says, I cant have this phone call without saying to my girl Kamala: I am proud of you. This is going to be historic. Barack then chimes in, saying, We called to say, Michelle and I couldnt be prouder to endorse you, and do everything we can to get you through this election and into the Oval Office.

On X, Michelle wrote, Im so proud of my girl, Kamala. Barack and I are so excited to endorse her as the Democratic nominee because of her positivity, sense of humor, and ability to bring light and hope to people all across the country. Weve got your back. In his own tweet, Barack wrote, At this critical moment for our country, were going to do everything we can to make sure she wins in November. In a campaign email, the Obamas added, There is no doubt in our mind that Kamala Harris has exactly what it takes to win this election and deliver for the American people. At a time when the stakes have never been higher, she gives us all reason to hope.

Since Harris announced her candidacy on Sunday, shes received support from 200 representatives and more than 20 governors and 45 senators (not to mention Black women and countless celebrities). She has also raised more than $130 million. Now that the Obamas are securely in the KHive, Harris is as she put it in her phone call with the couple gonna have some fun with this.

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The Obama Endorsement Has Arrived - The Cut

Former President Barack Obama has been in regular touch with Vice President Kamala Harris since she emerged as the likely Democratic nominee to share his experiences and is expected to endorse her soon, according to people familiar with the situation.

Mr. Obamas name had been notably absent from the succession of top Democrats lining up to support Ms. Harris after President Biden dropped out of the race on Sunday. But Mr. Obama has been active behind the scenes, serving as a sounding board to Ms. Harris and checking in with former aides who he thinks can help her cause, they said.

The former president had been reluctant to endorse Ms. Harris too quickly to avoid the perception that he was overseeing her coronation, but also to give his friend and former running mate Mr. Biden time to process his wrenching decision to step aside.

Mr. Obama has told people close to him that he has been impressed with the start of Ms. Harriss campaign and amused by a spate of stories claiming that he was holding out because he had doubts about Ms. Harris, whom he has known for two decades.

The people spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss their private conversations.

It is not clear if Mr. Obama has spoken to Mr. Biden since Sunday, but the two men had been communicating regularly in the weeks leading up to Mr. Bidens decision, which he made after veteran Democrats, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, pressured him to quit after a catastrophic debate performance last month.

Mr. Obamas feelings about Mr. Bidens capacity to run for re-election remain opaque. But some people close to Mr. Biden bitterly resent the role that vocal former Obama aides played in trying to force him out.

Mr. Obamas endorsement delay came as no surprise to people close to him. He adopted an identical stance before the 2020 election, when Mr. Bidens aides pressured him to endorse early in the Democratic primaries before Senator Bernie Sanders dropped out. (Mr. Obamas favored phrase back then was, I dont want to thumb the scale.)

Shortly after Mr. Biden announced his decision to quit quickly followed by his endorsement of Ms. Harris Mr. Obama posted an affectionate, if somewhat formal tribute on Medium that did not mention her once.

Joe Biden has been one of Americas most consequential presidents, as well as a dear friend and partner to me, he wrote. Mr. Obama chose Mr. Biden as his running mate in 2008 because he said at the time that he wanted an older, more experienced running mate with gray in his hair and limited future presidential ambitions.

We will be navigating uncharted waters in the days ahead, Mr. Obama wrote in the post. But I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges.

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Obama Has Been in Touch With Harris and Is Expected to Endorse Her Soon - The New York Times

As endorsements for Kamala Harris pile up from all corners of the Democratic Party, one omission is glaring: former President Barack Obama.

Claims out of Bidenworld have it that hes convinced Kamala cant win and is spitting mad that Joe jumped the gun on crowning her as his replacement; Bam had wanted several candidates to compete, with a winner chosen at the convention.

But the party, doubtless exhausted after weeks of tension over whether Biden would drop out, rushed to embrace Harris to end the drama.

And Democrats figure Harris is a (relatively) fresh face; though her approval ratings are as low as Bidens, theyre surely not as firmly locked in.

The same messaging machine (including most of the media) that covered up Bidens decline can now turn (shamelessly) to covering up her flaws.

They only have to make it work for a bit over three months to Election Day, and theyve already got a social media blitz going.

The thing is, Kamalas flaws are many: Shes crashed and burned while trying to discuss policy almost as often as Joe.

She has little experience actually governing, and shes thrown her support behind lefty causes, like the Green New Deal and defunding the police, which centrist Americans oppose.

Not to mention the border czar fiasco and her media enablers have already burned themselves trying to memory-hole that.

Nor is it clear how much the public trusts the press after the Biden revelations.

Plus, Harris former staffers (and shes gone through a lot of them) routinely complain that she doesnt do her homework, then blames her minions when shes caught out.

Doesnt bode well for live interviews (perhaps a repeat of her meltdown with Lester Holt?) or for debating Donald Trump.

Morning Report and Evening Update: Your source for today's top stories

To be clear: Switching out Joe for Kamala ups the challenge for the Trump-Vance ticket; polls suggest the race is already tighter, and the Dems convention, including her VP pick, might tighten it up more.

Republicans are still feeling out the right tone to attack a nominee whos a black woman: Dems will call them racist and sexist no matter what, but the voters will judge for themselves.

Yet she may still bomb, and forcing out one nominee is surely the limit or Democrats will lose the democracy issue entirely.

Well likely never know for sure if Obama really wanted Sen. Mark Kelly or whomever, but we do know hes a smart guy.

And we suspect the early coronation of Kamala Harris will prove not that smart.

The rest is here:
Barack Obama's instincts that Kamala isn't a winner are spot-on - New York Post