Washington (CNN)In a day filled with a flurry of meetings with national Democratic leaders, Bernie Sanders appeared to acknowledge Thursday that the end of his 2016 White House campaign is drawing near.

The Vermont senator also signaled his commitment to party unity: After meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House, Sanders pledged to work with Hillary Clinton to defeat Donald Trump this fall.

CNN asked Sanders' supporters at a rally here to reflect on the senator's campaign. They expressed a mixture of disappointment and defiance, as well as pride about what Sanders has accomplished. They also shared their trepidation about Clinton and Trump.