Obama endorses Hillary Clinton for president

President Barack Obama endorsed Hillary Clinton for president Thursday afternoon in a video posted to her campaign website and Youtube, saying she would be the most qualified candidate to ever hold the office.

“I know how hard this job can be,” he says in the video. “That’s why I know Hillary will be so good at it.”

“She’s got the courage, the compassion and the heart to get the job done,” he adds in the video, referencing Clinton’s stint as his Secretary of State. “I have seen her judgment. I've seen her toughness. I've seen her commitment to our values up close. And I’ve seen her determination to give every American a fair shot at opportunity, no matter how tough the fight -- that’s what's always driven her, and still does.”

The endorsement went public after Obama met with rival Sen. Bernie Sanders at the White House Thursday morning. After the meeting, which lasted over an hour, Sanders said he planned to remain in the race but pledged to work closely with Clinton to defeat Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump.

This story was originally published June 9, 2016 at 11:07 AM with the headline "Obama endorses Hillary Clinton for president."