Barack and Michelle Obama congratulate Joe Biden on his presidential victory: 'Could not be prouder'

• Former President Barack Obama congratulated his partner, former Vice President Joe Biden, after multiple news outlets projected that he and Kamala Harris had won the 2020 election.
• "I could not be prouder to congratulate our next President, Joe Biden, and our next First Lady, Jill Biden," Obama said in a statement posted to Twitter Saturday.
• "I also couldn't be prouder to congratulate Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff for Kamala's groundbreaking election as our next Vice President," he said.

Former President Barack Obama extended words of congratulations to his partner, former Vice President Joe Biden, after multiple news outlets projected that he and Kamala Harris had won the 2020 election.

"I could not be prouder to congratulate our next President, Joe Biden, and our next First Lady, Jill Biden," Obama said in a statement posted to Twitter Saturday.

"I also couldn't be prouder to congratulate Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff for Kamala's groundbreaking election as our next Vice President," he said.

—Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 7, 2020

Biden surpassed 270 electoral votes by flipping swing state Pennsylvania Friday morning, paving the way forward for a Biden-Harris administration.

Multiple news outlets declared on Saturday morning Biden the winner of the 2020 presidential elections. Business Insider and Vox were among the news outlets that projected Biden to be the winner of the 2020 presidential election on Friday, using the results from Decision Desk HQ.

CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and other national outlets called the election for Biden shortly after 11 a.m. ET Saturday.

With his statement, Obama joins the legions of world leaders and lawmakers who congratulated Biden for the victory.

"We're fortunate that Joe's got what it takes to be President and already carries himself that way," Obama added in his statement. "Because when he walks into the White House in January, he'll face a series of extraordinary challenges no incoming President ever has - a raging pandemic, an unequal economy and justice system, a democracy at risk, and a climate in peril."

"I know he'll do the job with the best interests of every American at heart, whether or not he had their vote," Obama continued. "So I encourage every American to give him a change and lend him your support."

Former first lady Michelle Obama also extended her support for Biden and Harris.

"I'm beyond thrilled that my friend @JoeBiden and our first Black and Indian-American woman Vice President, @KamalaHarris, are headed to restore some dignity, competence, and heart at the White House. Our country sorely needs it," she said in a thread on Twitter.

—Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) November 7, 2020

In cities around the country, people took to the streets to cheer and bang pots and pans in support of the victory.

President Donald Trump has not yet conceded, saying the election is still "far from over." White House spokesperson Judd Deere said there are "no scheduling updates" when asked if the president had plans to call Biden.