Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has endorsed former vice president Joe Biden for president.

Sanders made the announcement Monday afternoon during a Biden campaign livestream, saying that he believes his former opponent in the Democratic primary understands the country needs to move forward in an "unprecedented way" to address the "terrible pain" caused by the coronavirus.

"Today I am asking all Americans — I'm asking every Democrat, I'm asking every independent, I'm asking a lot of Republicans — to come together in this campaign, to support your candidacy, which I endorse, to make certain that we defeat somebody who I believe ... is the most dangerous president in the modern history of this country," Sanders said.

"We need you in the White House," Sanders went on to say. "I will do all that I can to see that that happens, Joe."

Vermont's junior senator suspended his own presidential bid last week, citing a "virtually impossible" path to victory. Biden, now the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, praised Sanders after that announcement and made an appeal to Sanders' supporters, promising to incorporate some of the progressive ideals championed by the Vermont senator into his own campaign.
It appears that work has already begun. Sanders said Monday that his campaign staff has been working with Biden's over the last few weeks to form task forces that will work together on policies covering economic issues, education, criminal justice, climate change, health care and immigration.

After Sanders made the announcement, Biden offered his gratitude and said that he believes people will be surprised to see how many issues the two men view similarly.

"If I am the nominee, which it looks like now you just made me, I'm going to need you. Not just to win the campaign, but to govern," Biden said.