Seventy-nine-year-old Joe Biden was inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States of America on January 20 at a swearing-in ceremony at Capitol Hill, Washington DC, following his victory in the 2020 presidential election over Republican incumbent Donald Trump. A Democrat who earlier served as the Vice-President under Barack Obama, Biden was sworn in as the President by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. On the same day, Kamala Harris, the first woman and the first Asian American Vice-President, was inaugurated. The ceremony included performances by Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez. Upon assuming office, Biden brought the U.S. back into the fold of the Paris Climate Accord and the World Health Organisation, and suspended construction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall. Earlier on January 6, a furious mob of Donald Trump supporters stormed Capitol Hill, hoping to block Congress certification of Biden’s win and overturn the mandate.
In his speech, Mr. Biden called for unity. “My whole soul is in this… bringing America together, uniting our people, uniting our nation,” he said, asking every American to join him in the cause.
Racism, nativism, fear and demonization have torn America apart, he said.
“We can join forces, stop the shouting and lower the temperature…Politics doesn’t have to be a raging fire, destroying everything in its path,” Mr. Biden said.
“We must reject the culture in which facts themselves are manipulated and even manufactured,” Mr. Biden said about the rise in the level of misinformation during the Trump presidency, including from the former President himself.
“It did not happen. It will never happen. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever, not ever,” he said about the Capitol violence trying to overturn the election results.
He said he would be a President for all Americans — those who voted for him and those who did not. “We must end this uncivil war, that pits red against blue, rural versus urban, conservative against liberal.”
Lady Gaga sang the national anthem and Jennifer Lopez sang a patriotic song.
Mr. Trump, who had contested the election results and addressed the mob minutes before they attacked the Capitol weeks ago, refused to meet Mr. Biden at the White House and travel with him to the Inauguration as per tradition. However, he had, as per reports, left a personal note in the Oval Office for his successor as is the custom. While he wished the next administration “great luck and great success”, Mr. Trump did not mention Mr. Biden by name. The former President, who has hinted that he may run again in 2024, said: “We will be back in some form.”
Credit : The Hindu
Picture Credit : Google
