Under blue skies wispy with clouds,Joe Bidenwas sworn in shortly before noon on Wednesday as the 46th president of the United States, with his large family watching beside him at the U.S. Capitol.
In an inaugural address blending hope and certainty in democracy — at the same place where just two weeks ago a mob of pro-Trump riotersinvaded the U.S. Capitolin an attack that left five people dead in an attempt to stop the certification of Biden’s election victory over former PresidentDonald Trump— Biden declared: “This is America’s day. This is democracy’s day.”
“This is a great nation,” he said. “We are good people.”
“Let’s start afresh — all of us,” Biden said, repeatedly urging unity as he has since first launching his presidential campaign in 2019.
Joe Biden (left) is sworn in as the 46th president of the United States at his inauguration Wednesday at the U.S. Capitol.Alex Wong/Getty
“Stop the shouting and lower the temperature,” he said. “Without unity, there is no peace. Only bitterness and fury.”
He went on: “Politics doesn’t have to be a raging fire destroying everything in its path. Every disagreement doesn’t have to be a cause for total war.”
At one point he said: “I know speaking of unity can sound to some like a foolish fantasy these days,” as the camera put Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell in view.
President Joe Biden delivers his inaugural address.Rob Carr/Getty
“America has been tested anew and America has risen to the challenge,” Biden said. “Today we celebrate the triumph not of a candidate but of a case: a case of democracy. The will of the people has been heard and the will of the people has been heeded.”
“Democracy is precious, democracy is fragile and at this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed,” he said.
President Joe Biden.JONATHAN ERNST/AP/Shutterstock
“We come together as one nation, under God, indivisible, to carry out the peaceful transfer of power as we have or more than two centuries,” Biden said. “As we look ahead in our uniquely American way, restless, bold, optimistic and set our sights on a nation we know we can be and must be.”
President Biden enters the White House following a historic election that saw him garnermore votes than any past candidate. Wednesday’s ceremonies were unprecedented both because of the ongoingnovel coronaviruspandemic and heightened security around the Capitol in the wake of the Jan. 6 rioting.
President Joe Biden delivers his inaugural address.Alex Wong/Getty
Trump did not attend the inauguration, as he confirmed in a tweet prior to the event. (Since the Capitol riots, Trump has been permanently suspended from Twitter.) Departing Vice President Mike Pence did, however.
While not naming Trump, during his speech Biden said to applause: “We must reject the culture in which facts themselves are manipulated and even manufactured,” an apparent reference to the former president’svoluminous false and misleading claimsover the course of his administration.
Biden told reporters last week that he was"not afraid" to take the oath of office outside, despite some officials expressing security concerns surrounding the event. Some 25,000 National Guardsman were on hand Wednesday in D.C., as a precaution.
President Joe Biden embraces his family First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, son Hunter Biden and daughter Ashley after being sworn in during his inauguration.Drew Angerer/Getty
“I think it’s critically important that there be a real serious focus on holding those folks who engaged in sedition and threatened people’s lives, defaced public property, caused great damage, that they be held accountable,” Biden previously said.
The hallmark event of American democracy — in which the outgoing president typically looks on as the new president takes over — was planned under never-before-seen circumstances, including a global pandemic, tumultuous transfer of power and security concerns stemming from Trump’s false claims that the election was stolen from him.
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Speakingexclusively with PEOPLE in Augustalongside now-Vice PresidentKamala Harris, Biden shared how they would work together, calling back to his relationship with former PresidentBarack Obamawhen he was Obama’s No. 2.
President Joe Biden signed executive orders in the Oval Office soon after he was sworn in last month.Evan Vucci/AP/Shutterstock
“That’s right,” said Harris, as Biden gestured to her sitting beside him and added, “This is who we are. This is America.”
source: people.com
