After several speakers urged unity in the Democratic Party and the need to defeat presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) finally endorsed Hillary Clinton at a rally at Portsmouth High School in Portsmouth, NH.
Sanders thanked his supporters for their work throughout the primary campaign, and then said that he had not won the Democratic nomination. He then said that he plans to do everything he can to make sure that Hillary Clinton is the next president of the United States.
"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 that she will be the next president of the United States,” said Sanders to a decidedly-mixed crowd, who responded with a mixture of boos and cheers.
“I am endorsing Hillary Clinton.”
Sanders then launched into what is basically a standard stump speech, highlighting issues of wage inequality and the need to overturn the Citizen’s United Supreme Court decision. The senator highlighted Clinton's similarities with himself on these issues, and how she is certainly a better option than Donald Trump.
Shifting to local issues, Sanders discussed New Hampshire's growing opiate crisis, saying that Clinton agrees that mental healthcare is important and that community health centers need to be expanded. He then attacked Trump for wanting to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
Sanders then touched on climate change, and called Trump someone who denies science.
Pivoting to his differences with Clinton, Sanders acknowledged that he had them, but said that "by far" this year's platform is the most progressive in party history--which is the more important thing.
"Hillary will make an outstanding president and I am proud to stand with her today."
THE HUG pic.twitter.com/DpOOuvhYDw
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) July 12, 2016
Clinton then took the stage, saying that the two of them are "stronger together." The crowd, however, responded in a mixture of jeers and cheers.
She echoed Sanders' desire for unity and coming together to defeat Donald Trump. Clinton discussed the recent spate of police shootings, and said that we need new guidelines to prevent this kind of force. She said we should take "real, meaningful action" to end the "epidemic" of gun violence in America, citing the recent murder of DNC staffer Seth Rich.
Clinton highlighted five main points that she hopes to accomplish in her presidency: investing in well-paying jobs, making college affordable, cracking down on companies that ship jobs overseas, making sure that Wall Street pays its fair share of taxes, and ensuring that women have equal pay.
To close, Clinton thanked Sanders supporters for their work and passion for their candidate. She remarked that the primary had been a "campaign of issues" as opposed to one of insults.
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