Bernie Sanders has finally announced he is endorsing Hillary Clinton for American president
They will now work together to stop Donald Trump from winning the race for the White House in November
AFTER months of bitter campaigning Bernie Sanders has finally given his support to Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton.
And at a joint rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, - their first - he said he would work hard to help his former rival win the White House.
Their appearance together came after weeks of talks between the two campaigns aimed at unifying the party to most effectively take on Republican Donald Trump in November.
With Clinton at his side, Sanders told a cheering crowd: "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."
The 74-year-old Sanders, a US senator from Vermont, offered voters a host of reasons why the 68-year-old former secretary of state is a better choice than the 70-year-old Manhattan real estate mogul.
He added: "If anyone out there thinks that this election is not important, take a moment to think about the Supreme Court justices that Donald Trump will nominate, and what that means to civil liberties, equal rights and the future of our country."
Clinton thanked Sanders for his endorsement – even if their body language seemed very awkward at times.
She said: "I am proud to be fighting alongside you.
"We are stronger together."
Sanders waged a tougher-than-expected year-long battle against Clinton, but she clinched enough delegates to secure the nomination in early June.
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The feisty self-described democratic socialist nevertheless had refused to concede defeat to his more moderate rival, although he had said he would vote for Clinton.
Sanders wants to ensure his ideas are part of the party platform presented at the Democratic National Convention later this month in Philadelphia, when Clinton is formally nominated.
Sanders said that at weekend talks in Orlando, "there was a significant coming together between the two campaigns and we produced, by far, the most progressive platform in the history of the Democratic Party."
The party reached agreement on language concerning climate change, health care and raising the minimum wage in America to $15 per hour.
But they reportedly failed, however, to reach common ground on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade accord.
Sanders believes the TPP is a disastrous trade agreement which protects the interests of multinational companies at the expense of workers, democracy, the public and the environment.
Trump, who has proclaimed himself "the law and order candidate" amid rising gun violence, will campaign in Indiana later today.
His scheduled appearance with Governor Mike Pence is raising speculation that Trump could pick the state's chief executive as his running mate.
The Republican presidential hopeful told he expected to make an announcement by Friday.
"I have five candidates, plus two, two that are unknown to anybody," Trump told the paper in a phone interview from Chicago.
Trump hit the campaign trail in Virginia Beach on Monday with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie -- one of those on the running mate shortlist.