Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were sworn in Wednesday as the president and vice president of the United States, in a historically subdued ceremony reflective of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and domestic tensions.
Biden, the 46th president in the nation’s history, was sworn in just before noon by Supreme Court Justice John Roberts on an heirloom family Bible dating back more than a century, shortly after Harris was sworn in by Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
“This is America’s day, this is democracy’s day, a day of history and hope and renewal and resolve,” he said in an inaugural address. “Today we celebrate the triumph not of a candidate but of a cause, the cause of democracy. The will of the people has been heard.
“Democracy has prevailed.”
The historic moment occurred shortly after Biden and wife Jill ascended the Capitol steps hand-in-hand, as did Harris and husband Doug Emhoff, entering the seat of American democracy two weeks to the day after it was besieged in a bloody riot that left five people dead.
Biden too invoked that strife — and the unity that has emerged on the other side.
“Now, on this hallowed ground, where just a few days ago violence sought to shake the Capitol’s very foundation, we come together as one nation under God, indivisible, to carry out the peaceful transfer of power.”
Also on hand for the pageantry are former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, whom Biden served as vice president for two terms, as well as former first ladies Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush and Michelle Obama.
The political power couples were introduced onto the Capitol balcony one by one, as the US Marine Band played under intermittent snow flurries.
After Biden, Harris and their families too were introduced, Democratic Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, herself a presidential hopeful in the 2020 field, delivered opening remarks.
“Have we become too jaded, accustomed to the ritual of the passing the torch of democracy, to truly appreciate what a blessing and a privilege it is to witness this moment?” she asked. “I think not.”
She invoked the Jan. 6 riot that saw supporters of President Donald Trump storm the US Capitol in an attempt to stop Congress’ certification of Biden’s election win.
“Two weeks ago, when an angry, violent mob staged an insurrection and desecrated this temple of our democracy, it awakened us to our responsibilities as Americans,” she said. “This is the day when our democracy picks itself up, brushes off the dust, and does what America does.”
Klobuchar was followed by Sen. Roy Blunt, who stressed the American vision of working toward unity.
“The Founders did not say to form a perfect union,” said the Missouri Republican. “They did not claim that in our new country nothing would need to be improved. Fortunately, they understood that always working to be better would be the hallmark of a great democracy.”
Following an invocation, Lady Gaga entered the balcony to perform a stirring rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner.
Additionally in attendance are former Vice President Dan Quayle — who served alongside the late President George H. W. Bush — congressional lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, and some of the black-clad Supreme Court justices, among them Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who will swear in Harris.
Though the political stars were out, Biden will be sworn in over an empty Washington, DC, with the coronavirus and heightened security conspiring to restrict crowd sizes.
The former vice president will take the oath of office at noon outside a heavily fortressed US Capitol and empty National Mall amid unprecedented security fears in the wake of this month’s deadly Capitol siege.
The bible used for his swearing in has belonged to the Biden family for more than a century. The giant heirloom dates back to 1893 and is the same bible that Biden used when he was first elected to the US Senate in 1973.
A small group of onlookers are in attendance, including lawmakers, Biden’s family, outgoing Vice President Mike Pence and a number of past presidents, while the absence of President Trump will loom large.
The outgoing commander in chief skipped town at 8 a.m. with a departure ceremony at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, becoming the first president since 1869 to skip his successor’s inauguration.
A staggering 25,000 National Guard troops have also flooded the nation’s capitol amid fears of further attacks in the wake of the Capitol siege which saw five people killed when a mob of pro-Trump supporters stormed Congress.
Replacing the hundreds of thousands of joyous onlookers who traditionally flood the National Mall is a sea of American flags which would be illuminated for the next two days.
The display represents all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and the United States’ five permanently inhabited territories.
New York Post.