Obama Called Biden After South Carolina Primary Win

Former President Barack Obama called Joe Biden to congratulate him on his victory in the South Carolina Democratic primary on Saturday night, a person familiar with the call said.

Biden won overwhelmingly in South Carolina with 48.4% of the vote. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., was a distant second with 19.9%. Biden got a boost from his status as Obama's vice president, winning 61% of the black vote in a state where more than half of the electorate is African American.

Obama has said that he will not endorse a candidate in the Democratic primary, leaving the choice of the party's nominee to the voters. On the campaign trail, Biden frequently invokes his friendship with Obama and the work they did together in the White House.

News of the phone call may further cement the tie between Obama and Biden, even if the former president doesn't explicitly endorse his former running mate.