
Bernie Sanders addressed his supporters one last time tonight as a Democratic candidate for president, this time to urge them to vote for the woman he spent more than a year urging them to reject.

'Any objective observer will conclude that – based on her ideas and her leadership – Hillary Clinton must become the next President of the United States,' he said of the former first lady who he said would make an 'outstanding' president.

The progressive senator inspired a new generation of young Americans to cast their votes in the presidential election but fell short of winning his party's nomination.

Tonight he told the 1,846 pledged delegates he earned in the course of the primaries and caucuses that political revolution they began was not in vain.

'Together, my friends, we have begun a political revolution to transform America and that revolution – our revolution – continues,' he said.

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Hero's welcome: Bernie Sanders told his 1,846 pledged delegates he earned in the course of the primaries and caucuses that his political revolution was not in vain, and in fact 'our revolution continues'

Berners for life: Bernie Sanders was given a rapturous reception as he closed the first night of the Democratic National Convention with a call to his supporters to unite round Hillary Clinton so they can defeat Donald Trump

Simmer down: Sanders was unable to start his speech for several minutes, such was the reception he received, but he was eventually able to get down to business with a speech that echoed all his campaign pledges

This one's for you: Sanders said that the election didn't turn out the way they wanted, and no-one was more disappointed than him, but he hoped people took enormous pride in what they had achieved

'The choice is not close': After he endorsed Clinton, Sanders turned his attention to their familiar foe, Donald Trump, saying that the US needed 'leadership which brings our people together and makes us stronger. Not leadership that insults' various races and women

The election didn't turn out the way they wanted, he acknowledged.

'I understand that many people here in this convention hall and around the country are disappointed....I think it’s fair to say that no one is more disappointed than I am.'

Still, he said to his supporters in the room and watching from home, 'I hope you take enormous pride in the historical accomplishments we have achieved.'

Together, my friends, we have begun a political revolution to transform America and that revolution – our revolution – continues Bernie Sanders

'Election days come and go. But the struggle of the people to create a government which represents all of us and not just the 1 percent – a government based on the principles of economic, social, racial and environmental justice – that struggle continues,' he told them. 'And I look forward to being part of that struggle with you.'

After his endorsement of Clinton Sanders way to say, according to his prepared remarks, 'The choice is not close.' He began to, but gave up as his delegates interrupted the speech with shouts of his name.

Always slated for Monday, Sanders' speech took on extra significance for Democrats seeking to unite the party after an email leak over the weekend confirmed that DNC officials were engaging in exactly the kind of inappropriate behavior that was alleged in the primary process by the Sanders campaign.

'Let me be as clear as I can be. This election is not about, and has never been about, Hillary Clinton, or Donald Trump, or Bernie Sanders or any of the other candidates who sought the presidency,' he said Monday night.

His campaign was about the 'the greed, recklessness and illegal behavior on Wall Street,' he said, and 'the grotesque level of income and wealth inequality.'

'Yes, we have made progress, but I think we can all agree that much, much more needs to be done,' he said. T'his election is about which candidate understands the real problems facing this country and has offered real solutions – not just bombast, not just fear-mongering, not just name-calling and divisiveness.'

Sanders said the country needs 'leadership which brings our people together and makes us stronger...not leadership which insults Latinos and Mexicans and Muslims and women, African-Americans and veterans and seeks to divide us up.'

The section was a direct assault on Republican nominee Donald Trump. The businessman has been assailing Sanders since he endorsed Clinton and did so after the speech on Monday evening, saying in a tweet that he 'totally sold out to Crooked Hillary Clinton.

We still believe in you Bernie! Sanders may have disappointed some of his hardline fans by refusing to indulge them the chance to protest Hillary Clinton, but for many, it may have been seen as a fitting conclusion to an electrifying campaign

Thank you! Bernie was visibly overcome with emotion, and all he could say for the opening few minutes of his speech was 'thank you' to the delirious crowd at the Wells Fargo Center

'All of that work, energy and money, and nothing to show for it! Waste of time.'

Sanders simply responded, 'Never tweet' following finished his late-night convention address that was shoved out of prime time and into the 11 pm hour.

The Vermont senator's curmudgeonly behavior was a hallmark of his run that took him to all 50 states and Puerto Rico to promote his message of economic parity.

He regularly drew crowds that topped 10,000 people at the height of his campaign.

On this night, his final night in the Democratic race, Sanders indulged his supporters, acquiescing to their cheers as he savored his time on the convention stage.

'Thank you,' he told them more than a dozen times. 'Thank you very much.'

He thanked the hundreds of thousands of Americans who volunteered with his campaign and the 2.5 million who financed his longshot bid.

'Anyone know what that average contribution was?' he asked delegates in the convention hall. '$27!' they called back.

He gave a special shout out his wife Jane, who served as a senior adviser to his campaign and was often at his side on the trail, four kids and seven grandchildren.

'Thank you very much for your love and hard work on this campaign,' he said.

Heavy is the heart! Sanders has galvanized a younger generation but conceded defeat to Hillary Clinton, who will take on Donald Trump in November in the General Election

Game changer: Bill Clinton applauds Bernie Sanders during his speech; Sanders praised Clinton for breaking precedent by 'changing the role a First lady should play with her campaign for universal healthcare'

A future to believe in? One Bernie fan on the left looks a little disappointed that their man wasn't targeting Hillary Clinton and instead urged unity for the sake of the future of the country

Sanders sought to shore up support for Clinton among skeptical Democrats on Monday evening ,telling them that she'd work to raise the minimum wage and would appoint Supreme Court justices who would in turn vote to overturn Citizens United and defends workers' and womens' rights.

Furthermore, she'll pursue legislation to 'revolutionize higher education in America,' he said, reform the criminal justice system, make health care affordable for all and bring the price of prescription drugs down.

'It is no secret that Hillary Clinton and I disagree on a number of issues,' he told them. 'That is what this campaign has been about. That’s what democracy is about.'

'But I am happy to tell you that at the Democratic Platform Committee there was a significant coming together between the two campaigns and we produced, by far, the most progressive platform in the history of the Democratic Party.'

Sanders argued that the platform includes language in favor of breaking up the big banks and 'calls for strong opposition to job-killing free trade agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership,' which he said Democratic leaders must not allow to come up for a vote during the lame duck session after the election.

The 25-year-veteran lawmaker said he's known Clinton as long and fondly stated, 'I remember her as a great first lady who broke precedent in terms of the role that a first lady was supposed to play as she helped lead the fight for universal health care.'

'Hillary Clinton will make an outstanding president and I am proud to stand with her here tonight.'

While he was received even by Clinton's delegates, Sanders invited controversy Monday night when he said to his backers, 'I look forward to your votes during the roll call tomorrow night.'

A nod to the 22 contests and millions of votes he won, states will call out their preference for president.

Clinton's delegates looked displeased with Sanders as he seemingly encouraged another round of shenanigans Tuesday evening.

He issued a desperate plea to his supporters before his remarks not to demonstrate or disrupt the Democratic National Convention after they spent the afternoon shouting down speakers over their support for Clinton - himself included.

'I ask you as a personal courtesy to me to not engage in any kind of protest on the floor,' wrote Sanders in a text message.

'Its of utmost importance you explain this to your delegations.'

Terrified that any display of disunity will play into Donald Trump's hands, Sanders issued his frantic request saying 'our credibility as a movement will be damaged by booing, turning of backs, walking out or other similar displays.'

Although Sanders had already endorsed Clinton before today, his supporters were incensed after a Wikileaks release of emails from Democrat Party leadership revealed extremely disparaging remarks about his campaign to defeat her.

We will always love you Bernie: Sanders' fans have been the most loyal in a fractious election campaign but their leader urged them to back his yearlong rival now that she had won the nomination

Fun while it lasted: Supporters of Bernie Sanders listen intently as he closes out the first night of an entertaining Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia

No TPP! Bernie supporters wore their heart on their sleeve, in particular protesting the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which Sanders is determined to block from becoming law. Donald Trump also opposes the trade deal as a jobs killer

Indeed, the Democratic National Committee officially apologized to Sanders tonight for emails that they acknowledged were 'disrespectful.'

'On behalf of everyone at the DNC, we want to offer a deep and sincere apology to Senator Sanders, his supporters, and the entire Democratic Party for the inexcusable remarks made over email,' DNC officials said Monday in a statement.

Incoming Interim DNC chair Donna Brazile and others who signed on said the behavior of party leadership was 'disrespectful' and they were taking 'appropriate action.'

Trump continued his campaign to undercut Sanders and convince the senator's primary voters to switch parties in November.

Sanders' has 'done such a complete fold,' he said on Twitter, and has 'totally given up' on the political revolution that he promised.

Sanders was shouted down by his own supporters Monday as he urged them to vote for Hillary Clinton in the general election to keep Trump from winning the White House.

'We have got to elect Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine,' he said, eliciting boos from his delegates this afternoon.

As the shouting continued, he said, 'Brothers and sisters, brothers and sisters. This is the real world that we live in.'

Feel the Bern one last time! Sanders was greeted by a sea of supporters, ready to celebrate one last campaign speech before Hillary Clinton is formally accepted as the Democrats' presidential nominee

Goodbyes are so hard: With that, a visibly drained Sanders walks off after spending most of his speech building up his campaign's victories as well as telling the Democrats to unite behind Clinton

Great comeback: Donald Trump took to Twitter in typically bombastic fashion, calling Bernie Sanders a sellout and a 'waste of time' but the Vermont Senator put him in his place with a two word message of his own: 'Never tweet'

Request: The situation is so fraught at the DNC that Bernie Sanders has issued a plea to his supporters not to protest following the damaging Wikileaks email dump

The Democratic National Convention officially apologized to Bernie Sanders for emails sent by party officials disparaging him that were leaked over the weekend

'Trump is a bully and a demagogue. Trump has made bigotry and hatred the cornerstone of his campaign,' he said today. 'Throughout this campaign he has insulted Mexicans and Latinos, he has insulted Muslims, he has insulted women and African-Americans.'

Unappeased, they shouted back at him: 'We want Bernie!'

At the convention hall early Monday evening, his supporters took their complaints to the floor during the official vote on the party platform and repeatedly shouted 'Down with TPP' - despite his pleas for them to be respectful - as speakers praised the progressive document in a grand show of their opposition to President Barack Obama's multi-nation trade deal.

Sanders viciously fought against the accord as a candidate and wanted stronger language disavowing it in the Democratic Party platform. He and his supporters lost that battle even though Clinton also says she's against it, too.

Her new running mate, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine was for it until he linked arms with Clinton. Now he's against it.

'Clinton betrayed Bernie voters. Kaine supports TPP, is in pocket of Wall Street, and backed Iraq War,' Trump said today. 'Hard to believe that Bernie Sanders has done such a complete fold. He got NOTHING for all of the time, energy and money. The V.P. a joke!'

The Republican nominee for president said: 'While Bernie has totally given up on his fight for the people, we welcome all voters who want a better future for our workers.'

The DNC sought to make things right with Sanders and his delegates tonight with their apology for comments made about the senator in the leaked emails.

'These comments do not reflect the values of the DNC or our steadfast commitment to neutrality during the nominating process,' the statement said.

Bernie Sanders was shouted down by his own supporters today as he urged them to vote for Hillary Clinton

'We have got to elect Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine,' he said, eliciting boos from his delegates this afternoon. They vocally disagreed

Sanders told delegate still supporting him today: 'This is the real world that we live in'

Some Sanders voters say they'll go green in November - the Green Party that is - and vote for Jill Stein instead

Many say they're with Bernie no matter what and will write in his name if he's not on the ballot

The statement also said: 'The DNC does not -- and will not -- tolerate disrespectful language exhibited toward our candidates. Individual staffers have also rightfully apologized for their comments, and the DNC is taking appropriate action to ensure it never happens again.'

DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz stepped down on Sunday as the email scandal grew red hot. She nixed a speech to delegates but said she would gavel in the convention. After an incident this morning in which she was yelled at by delegates from her own state, Wasserman Schultz changed her mind.

Sanders fought tooth and nail to keep Clinton from getting the nomination. He endorsed her earlier this month at a rally in New Hampshire and will speak on her behalf tonight at the Democratic National Convention.

Having lost the pledged delegate fight in the primary and conceded that he could not a majority of superdelegates at the convention, Sanders backed down from his bid to win the Democratic nomination.

He's still technically a candidate for the post, as he never formally suspended his campaign. Delegates will officially give the nomination to Clinton on Tuesday.

Sanders delivered a preview of his remarks to his delegates this afternoon, on the first day of the nominating convention.

'Trump does not respect the Constitution of the United States or civil liberties,' he said. 'That is not just my opinion, that is what many conservative Republicans believe.'

Continuing, he said, 'Trump is a danger for the future of our country and must be defeated.

'My hope is our revolution will be supported by at least 100 candidates all across this country.'

Sanders told them, 'This campaign has been a fantastic beginning, a beginning and from today onward we continue the fight.'

The Vermont senator closed out the convention tonight. He spoke after Elizabeth Warren - another progressive Clinton has enlisted to help bring along the left-wing of the party.

Democratic Congressman Keith Ellison, one of the senator's only colleagues to endorse him, gave his introduction.

'As a proud – and I said proud – Bernie Sanders supporter, I will always remember feelin' the Bern in Minnesota,' Ellison said. 'Bernie sparked the beginning of a revolution, y'all. He packed them in from Davenport to Detroit, to your town and mine.'

Thirteen million voters came out in support of him and helped build the movement $27 at a time, he said. 'We made our voices heard. And together, Democrats, we will make our voices heard in November when we defeat Donald Trump and, and elect Hillary Rodham Clinton to [be] the next President of the United States of America.'

But tonight, he said, 'let us raise our voices in gratitude to the man who has helped make this great party greater than ever...Bernie Sanders.'

Sanders fought tooth and nail to keep Clinton from getting the nomination. He endorsed her earlier this month at a rally in New Hampshire and will speak on her behalf tonight at the Democratic National Convention

A Bernie Sanders supporter takes a selfie with a Sanders puppet before a march through downtown on the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Hard act to follow: Bernie Sanders wrapped up proceedings after Michelle Obama took to the stage for an emotional speech in which she praised America's progress and vociferously backed Hillary Clinton

First lady Michelle Obama, who was wearing a custom made dress by US designer Christian Siriano, wowed at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia Monday night. 'This country is great,' Obama said at one point

Powerful: Singer Demi Lovato performs at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Eva Longoria bashed Donald Trump during her speech at the Democratic National Convention Monday night (pictured), saying he had insulted several members of her family through his claims