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Bernie Sanders endorses Joe Biden for president

  • By Benjamin Swasey/NPR
Former Vice President Joe Biden, left, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., right, greet one another before they participate in a Democratic presidential primary debate at CNN Studios in Washington, Sunday, March 15, 2020.

 Evan Vucci / AP Photo

Former Vice President Joe Biden, left, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., right, greet one another before they participate in a Democratic presidential primary debate at CNN Studios in Washington, Sunday, March 15, 2020.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders officially endorsed his former rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, on Monday.

Sanders, who suspended his campaign last week, had long said he’d support whoever won the Democratic nomination, but he did not formally endorse Biden when he announced an end to his own run on Wednesday.

Sanders made the announcement as he remotely joined Biden on a livestream video.

“Today I’m asking all Americans … to come together in this campaign to support your candidacy, which I endorse,” Sanders said to Biden.

Sanders added: “We’ve got to make Trump a one-term president and we need you in the White House. So I will do all that I can to see that that happens.”

The two talked about the nation’s coronavirus response and policy issues, with Biden announcing the formation of several policy working groups, and also joked about playing chess.

“I appreciate your friendship, and I promise you I will not let you down,” Biden said to Sanders.

Sanders’ endorsement of Biden came earlier in the presidential cycle than Sanders’ endorsement of nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016. That came in July 2016.

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