Bernie Sanders, who has appeared hesitant to embrace Hillary Clinton even after she became the clear winner of the Democratic presidential primary season, is eagerly welcoming her new plan to make higher education more affordable.
In a sign that Sanders and Clinton are increasingly aligned as the party prepares for its convention later this month in Philadelphia, the Vermont senator said the proposals are "a result of the work of both campaigns."
The Sanders campaign also took the unusual step of distributing a news release praising Clinton.
"This proposal, when implemented, will revolutionize the funding of higher education in America, improve the economic future of our country and make life immediately better for tens of millions of people stuck with high levels of student debt," Sanders said in a statement.
After often criticizing Clinton for not thinking big enough during the primaries, Sanders called her plan a "bold initiative."
Clinton's proposals include tuition-free attendance at in-state public colleges and universities for students from families earning up to $85,000 a year. Over four years, eligibility would expand to families earning up to $125,000 annually _ not the universal free tuition that Sanders had once called for, but a much more generous idea than Clinton's earlier call for helping students attend college without taking on debt.
