President Obama endorsed Hillary Clinton for president Thursday, calling his former secretary of state and one-time political rival supremely prepared to lead the country.
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And, while the Vermont senator said he had spoken with Clinton to offer congratulations on her campaign, he reiterated that the race was not over until it was over-and that also meant waiting for the final results from the June 7 contest.
“I have seen her judgement”.
Clinton welcomed the vote of confidence: “Honoured to have you with me, @POTUS I’m fired up and ready to go!” she tweeted, echoing one of Obama’s own campaign rallying cries from 2008.
“She’s got the courage, the compassion and the heart to get the job done, and I say that as someone who had to debate her more than 20 times”.
Mr Obama’s endorsement was long expected but will be a shot in the arm to the Clinton campaign.
Speaking on “Maddow”, Warren said she had not been vetted as a possible running mate for Clinton, and insisted the focus must be on defeating Trump in the fall.
But Sanders has railed against the “rigged” Democratic primary system, including its heavy reliance on the “superdelegate” party bigwigs, and has called for the ouster of Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, going so far as to endorse her opponent Tim Canova in the August congressional primary.
Obama and Sanders could be seen chatting and smiling as they headed toward the Oval Office. He has vowed to maintain his candidacy, telling backers in California this week that “we take our fight for social, economic, racial and environmental justice” to next month’s Democratic convention in Philadelphia. I know that feeling well.
Throughout his campaign, Sanders railed against income inequality, student debt and campaign donation regulations that empower wealthy donors – gaining a fervent following in the process. Sanders said afterward he would work with Clinton to defeat Trump.
Sanders, who met Obama on Thursday, has been under pressure from Democrats to end his White House bid.
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Shortly before news of the endorsement was released, Clinton told NPR’s Tamara Keith, “Well, I’m thrilled that the president has endorsed me”. “And the President is certainly respectful of that”. “It’s going to make the Democratic party stronger and it’ll make America stronger”. He said his campaign “has been” about a movement that brings in young people and working people. This comes just days after Clinton declared victory and is being treated as the presumptive nominee for the Democratic party.
