Sanders Supporter From Norwalk Doesn't Feel 'Berned' By Clinton Endorsement

“I think it’s very important that the Bernie supporters don’t see this as a betrayal but more as the next step forward,” Chris Yerinides told Daily Voice.

“I think to turn our backs on him just because he endorsed Hillary would really be a shame,” said Yerinides, who plans to attend the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia as a delegate later this month. “We should be thankful for all he’s accomplished.”

On Tuesday, Sanders officially endorsed his Democratic rival Clinton for president at a campaign event in New Hampshire in an effort to unify the Democratic Party and defeat presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump in the general election.

"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," Sanders said Tuesday.

After the announcement, Yerinides said he listened to Sanders on a conference call in which the former candidate took a candid tone.

“You could hear it in his voice over the phone — this man cares about every single person in this country,” Yerinides said. “I would go as far to say he cares about every single person on the planet.”

Even with Clinton as the presumptive Democratic nominee, Yerinides said Sanders made a lot of movement on the Democratic platform. And, even though it did not seem that way, “in reality Bernie and Hillary do agree on a lot,” Yerinides said.

But Sanders and Donald Trump?

After Sanders’ endorsement, Trump welcomed Sanders supporters to join his campaign.

“To all the Bernie voters who want to stop bad trade deals & global special interests, we welcome you with open arms. People first,” Trump tweeted.

Yerinides said he understands the sentiment: Some voters want an outsider candidate.

"The country desperately wants somebody who is not part of the system — that’s just a fact,” he said. But Yerinides does not recommend that Sanders supporters turn to Trump.

Yerinides said he understands voters also want a candidate who seems authentic, but he said he has yet to hear a concrete policy from Trump. “It’s a lot of emotional words and rhetoric,” Yerinides said.

Yerinides always tells people that Sanders and Clinton are on the same team — not Trump.

“If we look at what [Trump is] going to do to the progress Bernie’s movement made so far, I would personally not recommend switching to the Trump camp,” Yerinides said. “We should not channel that anger toward Hillary and support Trump just because he’s not Hillary.”

Click here to follow Daily Voice Norwalk and receive free news updates.