The chasm between presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and her primary rival was bridged on Tuesday, with Senator Bernie Sanders formally endorsing Clinton's bid for the White House.
"Secretary Clinton has won the Democratic nominating process, and I congratulate her for that," Sanders said. "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.
"I have come here today not to talk about the past but to focus on the future. That future will be shaped more by what happens on November 8 in voting booths across our nation than by any other event in the world. I have come here to make it as clear as possible as to why I am endorsing Hillary Clinton and why she must become our next president."
The Sanders endorsement ends a lengthy -- and awkward -- period in which many were wondering if and how he would back Clinton.