Clinton receives long-awaited endorsement from Sanders

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — With hugs and handshakes, Bernie Sanders endorsed Hillary Clinton for president on Tuesday and emphatically told his supporters their “political revolution” must now turn to electing his Democratic former rival.

During much of her remarks, Clinton embraced many of Sanders’ causes, vowing to oppose trade deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership, fight to raise the federal minimum wage — adopting Sanders’ tone, she called it a “starvation wage” — and overhaul the campaign finance system.

Democrats have coalesced around Clinton’s candidacy since she defeated Sanders in primaries last month in California and five other states, helped along by endorsements from President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and others.

Sanders has spent the past month seeking to influence the party’s platform for the Philadelphia convention and promote electoral reforms including allowing independents to participate in future primaries.

The event at a Portsmouth high school sought to project Democratic unity before Republicans formally nominate Trump next week in Cleveland but some Sanders’ supporters in the crowd did not appear to be ready to move on.