Bernie Sanders speaks to supporters at an election rally in Irvine, California on May 22. | Getty Obama to meet with Sanders on Thursday

President Barack Obama says the Democratic primary race is over — and he congratulated Hillary Clinton, though he isn’t ready to endorse quite yet.

But he did say yes to Bernie Sanders when the Vermont senator asked to come to the White House on Thursday.


In a statement late Tuesday, White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Clinton’s “historic campaign inspired millions and is an extension of her lifelong fight for middle-class families and children.”

Obama, Earnest said “congratulated Secretary Clinton for securing the delegates necessary to clinch the Democratic nomination for president.”

As for Sanders, Obama thanked him for “energizing millions of Americans” and raising issues of economic inequality and special interest influence.

The two spoke on Sunday, according to sources familiar, though the White House declined to comment on the call. But apparently as part of the call, Sanders asked for another Oval Office meeting, following up on the one he flew in for just before the Iowa caucuses.

Earnest’s statement said that the meeting will be “to continue their conversation about the significant issues at stake in this election that matter most to America's working families.”

But politics is also on Obama’s mind, with his own interest in hitting the campaign trail and on unifying the Democratic Party in preparation for Clinton’s race against Donald Trump.

“The President looks forward to continuing the conversation with Senator Sanders,” Earnest said, “about how to build on the extraordinary work he has done to engage millions of Democratic voters, and to build on that enthusiasm in the weeks and months ahead.”

Sanders will also meet privately with Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) in Reid's office on Thursday, a senior Senate Democratic aide said early Wednesday. Reid suggested last week during interviews in Nevada that Sanders should "give up" considering he was on track to lose in the Democratic primary fight. But on Tuesday, Reid declined to say whether Sanders should concede.

Seung Min Kim contributed.