Sen. Sherrod Brown speaks to members of media. | AP Photo Sherrod Brown: Sanders will 'be strong' for Clinton

It may take a few weeks or months, but Bernie Sanders will come around and campaign for Hillary Clinton on the general election trail, Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown said Thursday after a conversation with the Vermont senator.

During an interview with CNN's "New Day," the Clinton backer said he spoke with his Senate colleague Wednesday night. While noting that Sanders did not tell him so explicitly, Brown said he "fully expect[s] him to be strong for Hillary under his timetable whether it's this week or whether it's the convention or whether it's right after the convention."


"But I know he supports most of the things that Hillary does and I know that he is very concerned about a Donald Trump presidency, so I have no doubt in my mind that Bernie will be there and Bernie will bring 80, 90 percent of his supporters with him ultimately just like Hillary did for Senator Obama and that means it's good news in the fall," Brown predicted.

And while the primary process was "contentious" and there are "hurt feelings and anger," those are normal, Brown remarked, portraying it as a stark contrast to the "name-calling" on the Republican side of the race.

"And that's why we will move forward. We will heal. Bernie supporters will be there. Bernie will strongly be there," Brown continued. "As I said, it's his timetable, I don't know if it's coming out of this meeting today or if it's the next month or coming out of the convention, but either way, August, September, October, I expect Bernie to be, I expect to be campaigning with him in Cleveland or Akron and expect him to go around the country as I'll campaign with Hillary and as I'll campaign with the president in Ohio. Because we win Ohio, we win the race and that's what I expect."

Asked about a POLITICO report that characterized Sanders aides as saying the Vermont senator thinks "progressives who picked Clinton are cynical, power-chasing chickens," like Brown, the Ohio senator said Sanders told him he "absolutely didn't say that."

"I've known Bernie for 30 years," Brown said. "I believe he didn't say that. I know that there are always unhappy campaign people, especially when a race is lost. If that doesn't bother me, it shouldn't bother anybody else, those words about me in print about me said by somebody that's unhappy or has an agenda. Bernie didn't say that. I'm confident of that. I'm equally confident that Bernie will be there. Bernie told me he didn't say that."