Hillary Clinton will make 'outstanding' US President: Bernie Sanders

He says, we become stronger when black and white, Latino, Asian-American, native American, all of us, stand together

Ending months of animosity, US senator Bernie Sanders today "proudly" endorsed former rival Hillary Clinton who he said will make an "outstanding" president as the choice between her and Republican nominee Donald Trump is "not even close".

"Based on her ideas and her leadership, Hillary Clinton must become the next president of the United States. The choice is not even close," 71-year-old Sanders said in his address to the Democratic National Convention which kicked off here.

"Hillary Clinton will make an outstanding president and I am proud to stand with her here tonight," said the Senator from Vermont who during the primary election season gave some sleepless nights to the former Secretary of State by winning as many as 23 primaries.

During the primaries, 13 million Americans voted for him, giving him the 1,846 pledged delegates here tonight, 46% of the total.

Sanders who, to the surprise of many, attracted millions of supporters during the primary season espousing his "political revolution" that would provide free health care, free education, increase minimum wage and impose taxes on the rich, asserted that the other option before Americans this presidential election is not worth it.

The endorsement by Sanders who has been a thorn in Clinton's side over the last year ends a lengthy and awkward, period in which many were wondering if and how he would back Clinton.

"In these stressful times for our country, this election must be about bringing our people together, not dividing us up. While Donald Trump is busy insulting one group after another, Hillary Clinton understands that our diversity is one of our greatest strengths," he told his cheering supporters.

"Yes. We become stronger when black and white, Latino, Asian-American, Native American, all of us, stand together. Yes. We become stronger when men and women, young and old, gay and straight, native-born and immigrant fight to create the kind of country we all know we can become," he said.

Many of them were even seen wiping tears. Acknowledging that he and Clinton disagree on a number of issues, he said that's what this campaign has been about.

"That's what democracy is about. But I am happy to tell you that at the Democratic Platform Committee 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," he said.