Sanders: 'Clinton will make an outstanding president' The Vermont senator finally throws his support behind Clinton, more than a month after she wrapped up the nomination.

Bernie Sanders ended the Democratic Party’s protracted primary battle Tuesday in New Hampshire, endorsing Hillary Clinton by reaching out to his own progressive coalition with a speech that hewed closely to the one that had fired up legions of supporters on the campaign trail.

"She will be the Democratic nominee for president and I intend to do everything I can to make certain she will be the next president of the United States," Sanders said. "I have come here to make it as clear as possible as to why I am endorsing Hillary Clinton and why she must become our next president."


The pair entered the rally to Bruce Springsteen's "We Take Care of Our Own," the song President Barack Obama used as the theme for his 2012 reelection campaign and were flanked on stage by banners that read "stronger together."

Sanders was unequivocal in his endorsement of Clinton, but spent the bulk of his remarks describing why his own attempt at a revolution resonated, and at times his speech sounded more like a Sanders rally.

Point by point, Sanders ran through issues upon which he built his campaign, highlighting areas on which the two agree. Sanders acknowledged that the two "disagree on a number of issues," but on the minimum wage, health care, the environment, wealth inequality and others, Sanders said he and Clinton are of the same mind.

"Together, we have begun a political revolution to transform America and that revolution continues," Sanders said. "Together, we continue the fight to create a government which represents all of us, and not just the one percent – a government based on the principles of economic, social, racial and environmental justice."

"This campaign is about the needs of the American people and addressing the very serious crises that we face," he continued. "And there is no doubt in my mind that, as we head into November, Hillary Clinton is far and away the best candidate to do that."

After standing alongside and nodding to Sanders’ roughly 30-minute speech, Clinton took to the podium to thank the Vermont senator, who she praised for his "lifetime of fighting injustice." She also offered praise for the grassroots campaign built by the Vermont senator and was enthusiastic about the notion of uniting the youth and energy of his supporters with her own White House bid.

“I have to say it is such a great privilege to be here with Senator Sanders," she said. "Being here with him in New Hampshire, I can't help but reflect how much more enjoyable this election is going to be now that we are on the same side. Because, you know what, we are stronger together.”

The endorsement theoretically unites the Democratic Party behind Clinton, but questions remain as to how many of Sanders’ supporters will fall in line behind the former secretary of state after such a hotly-contested primary. While much of the crowd at Tuesday's rally was excited about the endorsement, a pocket of Sanders die-hards brought "Never Hillary" shirts and signs and booed when the progressive darling took the stage with the presumptive nominee.

Many of Sanders’ supporters were drawn to him because of his status as a progressive and independent voice willing to shake up Washington. Clinton, the consummate political insider, could be a tough sell for Sanders voters who spent the primary expressing skepticism about her connections to Wall Street and other outside influencers.

Donald Trump and his campaign quickly pounced on the news of Sanders’ endorsement, launching a flurry of rapid response emails that arrived with subject lines like “Bernie is now officially part of a rigged system” and “FLASHBACK: Bernie Sanders attacks Clinton’s ties to Wall Street.” Earlier in the day Trump mocked Sanders on Twitter for “selling out” to the former secretary of state and predicting that the Vermont senator’s followers would refuse to get in line behind Clinton.

“Bernie Sanders, who has lost most of his leverage, has totally sold out to Crooked Hillary Clinton,” Trump tweeted Tuesday morning before the official endorsement. “He will endorse her today - fans angry!”

"Bernie Sanders endorsing Crooked Hillary Clinton is like Occupy Wall Street endorsing Goldman Sachs," he posted later in the day after the Sanders-Clinton rally had finished.

Sanders’ endorsement finally marks an end to a Democratic primary that in reality wrapped up June 7 when Clinton won California’s Democratic primary and solidified her position as the party’s presumptive nominee. The Vermont senator refused to drop out of the race, though, instead leveraging his considerable delegate count by pushing for more progressive positions in the Democratic Party’s platform.

The Vermont senator successfully pushed the party to adopt more progressive planks on climate change, health care and a $15 minimum wage, but was unable to push the party’s platform committee to adopt language opposing the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Satisfied with his victories, Sanders agreed to appear with Clinton on Tuesday.

"Our job now is to see that platform implemented by a Democratic Senate, a Democratic House and a Hillary Clinton president, and I am going to do everything I can to make that happen," Sanders said during their joint appearance. "Hillary Clinton will make an outstanding president and I am proud to stand with her here today."

There are already signs that Clinton is making some inroads with progressive groups, including Democracy for America, which gave the Vermont senator its first presidential endorsement in its 11-year history. In a statement released Tuesday, the group said it would continue “to stand with Bernie Sanders by joining him in formally endorsing Hillary Clinton for president." MoveOn, which like Democracy for America endorsed Sanders during the primary, likewise announced Tuesday that it would back Clinton in the general election against Trump.

“Today we are all united in one goal: supporting Hillary Clinton's campaign to defeat Donald Trump and making sure the country loudly and clearly rejects his hate-filled campaign and his dangerous policies," MoveOn.Org Political Action Executive Director Ilya Sheyman said in a statement. "We're better positioned than ever to do just that, thanks in part to the recently adopted progressive Democratic Platform and the vigorous primary campaign marked by the energy and enthusiasm of millions of new, and young, voters."

The Progressive Congressional Campaign Committee, which did not offer an endorsement during the primary process, released its own statement celebrating how far to the left Sanders has managed to pull both Clinton and the Democratic Party. The group sought to soothe Sanders voters unsure about Clinton by stressing the degree to which the Vermont independent has put his stamp on a party he only recently affiliated himself with.

"With the Democratic Party on track to ratify the most progressive platform in recent history, and Clinton continuing to campaign on progressive ideas, Sanders supporters can feel good that they helped to transform the future of the Democratic Party and America."

