AlQa'dah 18, 1434, Sep 24, 2013, SPA -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday endorsed fellow Democrat Bill de Blasio in the race for New York City mayor. In a statement, Obama praised de Blasio's vision of "progressive change," a campaign theme similar to the president's in 2008. In endorsing de Blasio, Obama noted areas of policy overlap, including expanded pre-kindergarten, affordable housing, and healthcare. "Bill's agenda for New York is marked by bold, courageous ideas that address the great challenges of our time," Obama wrote.