Former rivals are finally joining hands. Bernie Sanders backed Hillary Clinton at a rally in New Hampshire Tuesday, prompting Donald Trump to reshape his bid to draw disaffected Sanders voters to the Republican side this November. Josh Robin filed the following report.
PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE - "I have come here to make it as clear as possible as to why I am endorsing Hillary Clinton," Bernie Sanders said Tuesday.
With those words, and a hug sealing the deal, Sanders is now one of Hillary Clinton's top surrogates, and attack dog.
"While Donald Trump is busy insulting Mexicans and Muslims and women, African-Americans and our veterans, Hillary Clinton understands that our diversity is one of our greatest strengths," Sanders said.
Sanders also takes to a somewhat skeptical nation an argument he long fought against: Clinton, at last, is a trusted champion of working Americans.
"Hillary Clinton understands that we must fix an economy in America that is rigged," Sanders said.
The long-sought handshake, of course, delights Clinton. Sanders' influence may have waned since Clinton clinched the nomination more than a month ago, but Clinton spoke to the young voters he still wows.
"You will always have a seat at the table when I am in the White House," she said.
Donald Trump has long wooed Sanders backers. Tuesday, he picked up the pace with a novel pitch - that Sanders, long the town crier of that rigged system, is now himself part of it.
A top adviser emails, "The candidate who ran against special interests is endorsing the candidate who embodies special interests...Bernie's endorsement becomes Exhibit A in our rigged system - the Democrat Party is disenfranchising its voters to benefit the select and privileged few."
Whether Trump succeeds in that argument is unclear. A poll finds even before Tuesday's endorsement, Sanders voters overwhelmingly back Clinton.