Joe Biden takes the helm as president: ‘Democracy has prevailed’
By Jonathan Lemire, Zeke Miller and Alexandra Jaffe | The Associated Press
| Jan. 20, 2021, 3:20 p.m.
| Updated: Jan. 21, 2021, 2:22 p.m.
Dawn breaks behind the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and the U.S. Capitol on Inauguration Day in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States of America at noon. (AP Photo/J. David Ake)
President-elect Joe Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden arrive for his inauguration at the Capitol in Washington on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. In his Inaugural Address, President Biden spoke of a return to the ordinary discord of democracy, with a reminder that “politics doesn’t have to be a raging fire, destroying everything in its path.” (Chang W. Lee/The New York Times)
Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts as Jill Biden holds the Bible during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021.(Saul Loeb/Pool Photo via AP)
Vice President Kamala Harris reaches to embrace her husband, Doug Emhoff, after being sworn in during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (Saul Loeb/Pool Photo via AP)
President-elect Joe Biden steps out to the portico to be sworn in as 46th president of the United States during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts as Jill Biden holds the Bible during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, as children Ashley and Hunter watch.(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool)
Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts as Jill Biden holds the Bible during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Kamala Harris is sworn in as Vice President by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor as her husband Doug Emhoff holds the Bible during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool)
Kamala Harris is sworn in as vice president by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor as her husband Doug Emhoff holds the Bible during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Chief Justice John Roberts swears in Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States, as his wife Jill Biden holds a Bible at the Capitol in Washington on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (Chang W. Lee/The New York)
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden, kiss as his son Hunter Biden and daughter Ashley Biden look on after being sworn-in during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool)
President Joe Biden delivers his inaugural address at the Capitol in Washington on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (Chang W. Lee/The New York)
President Joe Biden delivers his inaugural address at the Capitol in Washington on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (Chang W. Lee/The New York)
President Joe Biden delivers his inaugural address at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. President Biden will unleash a full-scale assault on his predecessor’s legacy on Wednesday, acting hours after taking the oath of office to sweep aside Trump’s pandemic response, reverse his environmental agenda, tear down his anti-immigration policies, bolster the sluggish economic recovery and restore federal efforts aimed at promoting diversity. (Chang W. Lee/The New York Times)
President-elect Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden are welcomed by former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama as they arrive for the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol for Biden in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (Saul Loeb/Pool Photo via AP)
Former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle arrive for the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol for President-elect Joe Biden in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Former President Barack Obama and Vice President Kamala Harris fist-bump at the Capitol in Washington on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (Jonathan Ernst/Pool via The New York Times) -- FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. --
American poet Amanda Gorman reads a poem during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, Pool)
Lady Gaga sings the National Anthem during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, Pool)
Jennifer Lopez performs during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol for President-elect Joe Biden in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (Greg Nash/Pool Photo via AP)
Officer Eugene Goodman, named acting deputy sergeant of arms of the Capitol Police, escorts Vice President-elect Kamala Harris as they arrive for President-elect Joe BidenÕs inauguration, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. (Jonathan Ernst/Pool Photo via AP)
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris arrive at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery during Inauguration Day ceremonies in Arlington, Va. Former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, former President George W. Bush and his wife Laura and former President Bill Clinton and his wife former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and family look on. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris participate in a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Villagers burst firecrackers and hold placards featuring U.S. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris ahead of her inauguration, in Thulasendrapuram, the hometown of Harris' maternal grandfather, south of Chennai, Tamil Nadu state, India, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. A tiny, lush-green Indian village surrounded by rice paddy fields was beaming with joy Wednesday hours before its descendant, Kamala Harris, takes her oath of office and becomes the U.S. vice president. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
Villagers hold placards featuring U.S. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris as they watch the live telecast of the inauguration ceremony, in Thulasendrapuram, the hometown of Harris' maternal grandfather, south of Chennai, Tamil Nadu state, India, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. Residents of a tiny Indian village surrounded by rice paddies flocked to a Hindu temple, setting off firecrackers and praying and as they watched Kamala Harris, who has strong roots to the village, take her oath of office and become the U.S. vice president on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
Villagers release firecrackers and hold placards featuring U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris after her inauguration, in Thulasendrapuram, the hometown of Harris' maternal grandfather, south of Chennai, Tamil Nadu state, India, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. Residents of a tiny Indian village surrounded by rice paddies flocked to a Hindu temple, setting off firecrackers and praying and as they watched Kamala Harris, who has strong roots to the village, take her oath of office and become the U.S. vice president on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
President Joe Biden walks with first lady Jill Biden during the Presidential Escort, part of Inauguration Day ceremonies, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Vice President Kamala Harris, and her husband Doug Emhoff, ride during the Inauguration Day Parade Route in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, after being sworn in as the 46th vice president of the United States. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
President Joe Biden walks with first lady Jill Biden during the Presidential Escort, part of Inauguration Day ceremonies, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Vice President Kamala Harris and members of her family walk to the White House in Washington during Inauguration Day ceremonies on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (Todd Heisler/The New York Times)
Vice President Kamala Harris and members of her family walk to the White House in Washington during Inauguration Day ceremonies on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (Todd Heisler/The New York Times)
A U.S. Army band marches near the White House during the Presidential Escort, part of Inauguration Day ceremonies, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden and family walk in front of the White House in Washington during the Presidential Escort, part of Inauguration Day ceremonies on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (Doug Mills/The New York Times)
Members of the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps march in front of the White House in Washington during the Presidential Escort, part of Inauguration Day ceremonies on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (Todd Heisler/The New York Times)
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden embrace in front of the White House in Washington during the Presidential Escort, part of Inauguration Day ceremonies on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (Doug Mills/The New York Times)
President Joe Biden signs executive orders during his first minutes in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, on Inauguration Day, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (Doug Mills/The New York Times)
President Joe Biden speaks during a virtual swearing in ceremony of political appointees from the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, on Inauguration Day, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (Doug Mills/The New York Times)
President Joe Biden signs a series of executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Joe Biden stands in the Lincoln Memorial during Inauguration Day ceremonies, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Fireworks light up the sky by the Washington Monument during inauguration ceremonies Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden watch fireworks from the White House, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Washington • Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States on Wednesday, declaring that “democracy has prevailed” and summoning American resilience and unity to confront the deeply divided nation’s historic confluence of crises.
Denouncing a national “uncivil war,” Biden took the oath at a U.S. Capitol that had been battered by an insurrectionist siege just two weeks earlier. Then, taking his place in the White House Oval Office, he plunged into a stack of executive actions that began to undo the heart of his polarizing predecessor ‘s agenda on matters from the deadly pandemic to climate change.
At the Capitol, with America’s tradition of peaceful transfers of power never appearing more fragile, the ceremony unfolded within a circle of security forces evocative of a war zone and devoid of crowds because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Instead, Biden gazed out on a cold Washington morning dotted with snow flurries to see over 200,000 American flags planted on the National Mall to symbolize those who could not attend in person.
“The will of the people has been heard, and the will of the people has been heeded. We’ve learned again that democracy is precious and democracy is fragile. At this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed,” Biden declared in his speech. “This is America’s day. This is democracy’s day. A day of history and hope, of renewal and resolve.”
History was made at his side, as Kamala Harris became the first woman to be vice president. The former U.S. senator from California is also the first Black person and the first person of South Asian descent elected to the vice presidency and the highest-ranking woman ever to serve in the U.S. government.
Biden never mentioned his predecessor, who defied tradition and left town ahead of the ceremony, but his speech was an implicit rebuke of Donald Trump. The new president denounced “lies told for power and for profit” and was blunt about the challenges ahead.
Central among them: the surging virus that has claimed more than 400,000 lives in the United States, as well as economic strains and a national reckoning over race.
“We have much to do in this winter of peril, and significant possibilities. Much to repair, much to restore, much to heal, much to build and much to gain,” Biden said. “Few people in our nation’s history have been more challenged, or found a time more challenging or difficult than the time we’re in now.”
Biden was eager to go big early, with an ambitious first 100 days including a push to speed up the distribution of COVID-19 vaccinations to anxious Americans and pass a $1.9 trillion economic relief package. It included a blitz of executive orders on matters that don’t require congressional approval — a mix of substantive and symbolic steps to unwind the Trump years. His actions included re-entry into the Paris Climate Accords and a mandate for wearing masks on federal property.
“There’s no time to start like today,” a masked Biden said. in the Oval Office. Then he swore in hundreds of aides — virtually — telling them, “You’re my possibilities.”
The absence of Biden’s predecessor from the inaugural ceremony underscored the national rift to be healed.
But a bipartisan trio of former presidents — Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama — were there to witness the transfer of power. Trump, awaiting his second impeachment trial, was at his Florida resort by the time the swearing-in took place.
Biden, in his third run for the presidency, staked his candidacy less on any distinctive political ideology than on galvanizing a broad coalition of voters around the notion that Trump posed an existential threat to American democracy. Four years after Trump’s “American Carnage” speech painted a dark portrait of national decay, Biden warned that the fabric of the nation’s democracy was tearing but could be repaired.
“I know the forces that divide us are deep and they are real. But I also know they are not new. Our history has been a constant struggle between the American ideal that we are all created equal and the harsh, ugly reality that racism, nativism, fear, demonization have long torn us apart,” Biden said. “This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge, and unity is the path forward and we must meet this moment as the United States of America.”
Swearing the oath with his hand on a five-inch-thick Bible that has been in his family for 128 years, Biden came to office with a well of empathy and resolve born by personal tragedy as well as a depth of experience forged from more than four decades in Washington. At age 78, he is the oldest president inaugurated.
Both he, Harris and their spouses walked the last short part of the route to the White House after an abridged parade. Biden then strode into the Oval Office, a room he knew well as vice president, for the first time as commander in chief.
At the Capitol earlier, Biden, like all those in attendance, wore a face mask except when speaking. Tens of thousands of National Guard troops were on the streets to provide security precisely two weeks after a violent mob of Trump supporters, incited by the Republican president, stormed the building in an attempt to prevent the certification of Biden’s victory.
“Here we stand, just days after a riotous mob thought they could use violence to silence the will of the people,” Biden said. “To stop the work of our democracy. To drive us from this sacred ground. It did not happen. It will never happen. Not today, not tomorrow. Not ever. Not ever.”
The tense atmosphere evoked the 1861 inauguration of Abraham Lincoln, who was secretly transported to Washington to avoid assassins on the eve of the Civil War, or Franklin Roosevelt’s inaugural in 1945, when he opted for a small, secure ceremony at the White House in the waning months of World War II.
But Washington, all but deserted downtown and in its federal areas, was quiet. And calm also prevailed outside heavily fortified state Capitol buildings across nation after the FBI had warned of the possibility for armed demonstrations leading up to the inauguration.
The day began with a reach across the political aisle after four years of bitter partisan battles under Trump. At Biden’s invitation, congressional leaders from both parties bowed their heads in prayer in the socially distanced service a few blocks from the White House.
Biden was sworn in by Chief Justice John Roberts; Harris by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina member of the Supreme Court. Vice President Mike Pence, standing in for Trump, sat nearby as Lady Gaga, holding a golden microphone, sang the National Anthem accompanied by the U.S. Marine Corps band.
When Pence, in a last act of the outgoing administration, left the Capitol, he walked through a door with badly cracked glass from the riot two weeks ago. Later, Biden, Harris and their spouses were joined by the former presidents to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Ceremony.
By afternoon, a White House desolate in Trump’s waning days sprang back to life, with Biden staffers settling in and new COVID-19 safety measures, like plastic shields on desks, in place.
In the evening, in lieu of the traditional balls that welcome a new president to Washington, Biden and Harris appeared separately at the Lincoln Memorial to take part in a televised concert that also marked the return of A-list celebrities to the White House orbit after they largely eschewed Trump. Among those in the lineup: Bruce Springsteen, Justin Timberlake and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
The Bidens ended their evening watching fireworks from a White House balcony.
This was not an inauguration for the crowds. But Americans in the capital city nonetheless brought their hopes to the moment.
“I feel so hopeful, so thankful,” said Karen Jennings Crooms, a D.C. resident who hoped to catch a glimpse of the presidential motorcade on Pennsylvania Avenue with her husband. “It makes us sad that this is where we are but hopeful that democracy will win out in the end. That’s what I’m focusing on.”
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump depart the White House on Wednesday morning, Jan. 20, 2021, hours before the presidential inauguration of Joe Biden. (Anna Moneymaker/The New York Times)
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump leave the White House, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. Trump is en route to his Mar-a-Lago Florida Resort. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Donald Trump gestures as he boards Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. Trump is en route to his Mar-a-Lago Florida Resort. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Staff members carry boxes from the White House as President Donald Trump prepares to depart on Wednesday morning, Jan. 20, 2021, hours before the presidential inauguration of Joe Biden. Defeated and twice impeached, the 45th president used his farewell remarks before a sparse crowd to brag about his record and wish luck to the incoming administration. (Anna Moneymaker/The New York Times)
Marine One with President Donald Trump aboard flies past the Washington Monument during Inauguration Day ceremonies, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. Trump is en route to his Mar-a-Lago Florida Resort. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Marine One, carrying President Donald Trump, departs from the White House on Wednesday morning, Jan. 20, 2021, hours before the presidential inauguration of Joe Biden. Defeated and twice impeached, the 45th president used his farewell remarks before a sparse crowd to brag about his record and wish luck to the incoming administration. (Jason Andrew/The New York Times)
Marine One with President Donald Trump onboard leaves the White House ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration ceremony, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. (Saul Loeb/Pool Photo via AP)
Air Force One waits for President Donald Trump to board for his last time as president at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Jan. 20, 2021. Defeated and twice impeached, the 45th president used his farewell remarks before a sparse crowd to brag about his record and wish luck to the incoming administration. (Pete Marovich/The New York Times)
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump wave to a crowd as they board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez)
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive to speak before they board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021.(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Ivanka Trump with her husband, Jared Kushner, as they wait to hear her father, President Donald Trump, speak to supporters before boarding Air Force One for his last time as president at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Jan. 20, 2021. Defeated and twice impeached, the 45th president used his farewell remarks before a sparse crowd to brag about his record and wish luck to the incoming administration. (Pete Marovich/The New York Times)
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive on Marine One before boarding Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021.(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Members of President Donald Trump's family wait for him to speak to supporters before boarding Air Force One for his last time as president at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Jan. 20, 2021. Defeated and twice impeached, the 45th president used his farewell remarks before a sparse crowd to brag about his record and wish luck to the incoming administration. (Pete Marovich/The New York Times)
Outgoing President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump are cheered by supporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, as they prepare to board Air Force One for the last time. (Pete Marovich/The New York Times)
Supporters listen as President Donald Trump speaks before boarding Air Force One for his last time as president at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Jan. 20, 2021. Defeated and twice impeached, the 45th president used his farewell remarks before a sparse crowd to brag about his record and wish luck to the incoming administration. (Pete Marovich/The New York Times)
President Donald Trump speaks to supporters before boarding Air Force One for the last time at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Jan. 20, 2021, hours before the presidential inauguration of Joe Biden. Defeated and twice impeached, the 45th president used his farewell remarks before a sparse crowd to brag about his record and wish luck to the incoming administration. (Pete Marovich/The New York Times)
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) listens to President Donald Trump speak to supporters before boarding Air Force One for his last time as president at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Jan. 20, 2021. Defeated and twice impeached, the 45th president used his farewell remarks before a sparse crowd to brag about his record and wish luck to the incoming administration. (Pete Marovich/The New York Times)
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021.(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021.(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Outgoing President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Inauguration Day, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (Pete Marovich/The New York Times)
Outgoing President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump are greeted by supporters as they arrive at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Inauguration Day, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (Pete Marovich/The New York Times)
Supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump line the street as his motorcade is driven to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla., on Inauguration Day, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. Defeated and twice impeached, the 45th president used his farewell remarks before a sparse crowd to brag about his record and wish luck to the incoming administration. (Pete Marovich/The New York Times)
Heidi Forte, middle, with other supporters of President Donald Trump wait for the motorcade on the road to Mar-a-Lago, Trump's Palm Beach estate, on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Trump was the first president in more than a century to skip the inauguration of his successor. After a brief farewell celebration at nearby Joint Base Andrews, he boarded Air Force One for the final time as president.
“I will always fight for you. I will be watching. I will be listening and I will tell you that the future of this country has never been better,” said Trump. He wished the incoming administration well but never mentioned Biden’s name.
Trump did adhere to one tradition and left a personal note for Biden in the Oval Office. Biden would only tell reporters that it was “a very generous letter.”
Trump, in his farewell video remarks, hinted at a political return, saying “we will be back in some form.” Without question, he will shadow Biden’s first days in office.
Trump’s second impeachment trial could start as early as this week. That will test the ability of the Senate, now coming under Democratic control, to balance impeachment proceedings with confirmation hearings and votes on Biden’s Cabinet choices.
Additional reporting by Associated Press writers Jill Colvin and Darlene Superville in Washington and Michelle L. Price in Las Vegas.
By Jonathan Lemire, Zeke Miller and Alexandra Jaffe | The Associated Press
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