Former Presidents Obama, Bush and Clinton honor Biden as America's new leader in joint video

Their message stood in stark contrast to former President Donald Trump, who didn't attend Biden's inauguration and ignored nearly every element of a peaceful handoff of presidential power.

"I think the fact that the three of us are standing here talking about a peaceful transfer of power speaks to the institutional integrity of our country," Bush, a Republican, said in the video.

God bless you."

That message was echoed by Obama, a Democrat, who maintained the country has to "not just listen to folks we agree with, but listen to folks we don't."

"One of my fondest memories of the inauguration, was the grace and generosity that President Bush showed me, and Laura Bush showed Michelle," he said.

That was a reminder, Obama said, "that we can have a fierce disagreements and yet recognize each other's common humanity and that, as Americans, we have more in common than what separates us."

Clinton, meanwhile, said the US was "ready to march" with Biden and called it an "exciting time" for America despite the immediate challenges Biden's administration now faces.