Bernie Sanders endorsed Hillary Clinton at a joint campaign rally in New Hampshire on Tuesday, and said that “together” he and Clinton would continue the goals of the “political revolution” he helped lead.
“Secretary Clinton has won the Democratic nominating process, and I congratulate her for that. 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 at Portsmouth High School while standing next to Clinton.
“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,” he added.
Sanders delayed an endorsement until a month after Clinton secured the necessary number of delegates, but eventually joined the presumptive Democratic nominee after her campaign accepted some of his more progressive policy proposals on healthcare and higher education.
Sanders noted that Clinton “understands” the importance of fixing the “rigged” economy, the need to raise wages, and the urgent need to create new jobs and fix the nation’s infrastructure. He said he agrees with her proposals to help veterans, lower the costs of prescription drugs, lower college debt, expand affordable healthcare and act on climate change.
Although Sanders still holds policy differences with Clinton, he noted that she would be a better president than Donald Trump. “This campaign is about the needs of the American people and addressing the very serious crises that we face. 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.”
Two prominent Sanders supporters, Democracy for America President Jim Dean and environmental activist Bill McKibben, and two prominent Clinton supporters, New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, introduced Sanders and Clinton.
“This is not the time to stop. This is the beginning and not the end in our quest for justice,” Dean told the crowd, after proclaiming that his group would now throw its support behind Clinton.
Clinton surrogates similarly focused on party unity, as Shaheen told the crowd that the Democratic Party is “united and strong.” During the primaries, Sanders won New Hampshire by over twenty points, so as Clinton and Trump compete for the Granite State vote, Sanders supporters will be crucial.
Before Clinton took the stage, Sanders concluded that, “Hillary Clinton will make an outstanding president and I am proud to stand with her here today.”
Even though Sanders endorsed Clinton, he will still take his over 1,900 pledged delegates to the Democratic Convention in Philadelphia, and remain a candidate for the nomination until then.
As Clinton walked on stage she thanked Sanders and noted, “how much easier this election will be when were on the same side, because you know what? We are stronger together!”
Although Sanders’ campaign spent months preventing Clinton from focusing on the general election fight against Trump, she portrayed the Vermont senator as a partner in the fight against the GOP.
“Now with your help we are joining forces to defeat Donald Trump and win in November and yes build a future that we can all belive in,” Clinton said.
“Thank you, thank you, Bernie for your endorsemen, but more than that thank you for your lifetime for fighting injustice. I am proud to be fighting alongside you because, my friends, this is a time for all of us to stand together.”
