DWAYNE JOHNSON has announced he will be voting for Joe Biden in the upcoming US Presidential election.
“As a political independent and centrist for many years, I’ve voted for Democrats in the past and as well as Republican,” he wrote on Instagram.
“In this critical election, I believe Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are the best to lead our country, and as my first ever (public) Presidential endorsement, I proudly endorse them for the presidential office of our United States.
“Progress takes courage, humanity, empathy, strength, grit, kindness and respect. Being KIND & RESPECTFUL to one another will always matter.”
The announcement represents Johnson's first endorsement of a major political candidate.
In the video posted to his YouTube channel, Johnson held a virtual conversation with Biden and his running mate and Vice President hopeful, Senator Kamal Harris.
"I have been a lucky guy over the years, in my life and my career to have been part of and participated in some real defining moments, and I've never publicly endorsed a presidential candidate or vice presidential candidate in my life, over my career," Johnson said.
"That means a great deal to us, for real," Biden said, thanking the WWE icon for his support.
The Rock continued: "You guys are both obviously experienced to lead. You've done great things. Joe, you've had such an incredible career.
“You've led in my opinion, with great compassion, and heart, and drive, but also soul. You and I talked about that in the past and how important soul is," said Johnson, who was once the third-most backed person online to run for president in the 2020 election.”
During the chat, Johnson singled out Harris for praise as a “smart and tough” attorney and senator.
“I've seen you in those hearings and in my opinion you are a certified badass," he said.
He also spoke about his father, Rocky Johnson, who sadly passed away back in January, aged 75.
"Joe, you and I have talked about the relationship that you had with your father. This idea of respect and earning respect that our parents have taught us. My dad always said, 'Respect is given when it is earned."
Eager to push both Biden and Harris to prove their suitability to the role, Jonson asked: "How will the both of you earn the respect of all the American people once you're in the White House?"
"By doing what we say we're going to do,” Biden said.
“By keeping our word. By leveling with the American people. By taking responsibility. When we fail, acknowledge it. We're not going to be perfect, but take responsibility. Say, 'This is what I'm going to do, this is what I believe and tell the truth.' That sounds so basic, but the American people are strong, they're tough, they can take anything if you level with them, and tell the truth," he said.
"And one of the ways we're going to do it is to demonstrate we mean what we say. Our administration, DJ, is going to look like America. It's going to be representative of all of America."
Harris’s response echoed Biden’s sentiments.
As we know, the nature of trust is that, like Joe was saying and as you've said, it's a reciprocal relationship,” she said.
“You give and you receive trust. And one of the foundations of trust is truth. You must speak truth but here's the reality: truth can sometimes be really difficult to hear and for that reason sometimes people don't speak it.
“But you cannot have trust if you don't speak truth. You know that as a parent, we know that as parents, you have to speak truth. And as long as there is an understanding that it is being spoken not to confront, not to hurt, but to deal with things, the way they must be handled.
“That has to be part of the core of what we do as we go forward because to your point, we're facing as a country so many challenges and people are grieving. I mean, people are grieving the loss of life, the loss of jobs, the loss of certainty, the loss of normalcy and to heal and get through this we're gonna have to be honest about what healing will require.
“That's one of the things that Joe and I really do have in common, which is we're motivated by healing, but we know to do that, we have to be honest about what it's going to take."
Both Johnson and Biden have family ties to Ireland.
Johnson has some Irish heritage on his father’s side of the family.
Biden's maternal great-grandfather, Edward Francis Blewitt, was the child of Irish emigrants from Rappagh, Ballina, County Mayo.
See More: Dwayne Johnson, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris
