(Amr Alfiky | The New York Times) President-elect Joe Biden, center, holds hands with his wife, Jill Biden, as they and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, second from left, and her husband, Doug Emhoff, are received at the U.S. Capitol by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), right, and Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, 2021. "Taking office at a low point means that the new president might be able to claim progress without superhuman effort," writes New York Times columnist Ross Douthat.