Biden Sworn in as President, Calls for Unity in Inaugural Address
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Two weeks after the riots at the Capitol, the country celebrated a transition of power, as Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States and Kamala Harris was sworn in as the first Black, South Asian, woman Vice President.
Biden pledged to unite the country and called on Americans to end the “uncivil war” that has fractured the nation.
With an inauguration unlike any other in U.S. history, Biden took his oath of office before a small, socially distanced audience, in front of American flags waving in the National Mall instead of people, and in a city that has been locked down due to the current pandemic.
In his address, Biden stressed the need for unity in this divided nation saying, “This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge, and unity is the path forward.”
Since his campaign, Biden has expressed that he will not only be the president for the people that voted for him but for all of the American people.
“We must end this uncivil war that pits red against blue, rural versus urban, conservative versus liberal,” he said. “We can do this if we open our souls instead of hardening our hearts, if we show a little tolerance and humility, and if we’re willing to stand in the other person’s shoes.”
President Biden also vowed to move swiftly to address the pandemic, racial justice and climate change, among other matters.
“With unity we can do great things, important things,” Biden continued. “We can right wrongs. We can put people to work in good jobs. We can teach our children in safe schools. We can overcome the deadly virus. We can deliver racial justice, and we can make America once again a leading force for good in the world.”
Biden, 78, is the oldest president ever to take office. Expectations for his inaugural address could not have been higher with it coming just two weeks to the day after the attacks on the Capitol.
Former President Donald J. Trump left the White House on Wednesday morning, making him the first president to skip his successor’s inauguration in more than 150 years.
Trump wished the new administration great luck and success, stating that they have the foundation to do something “really spectacular.” He left Biden a note before he left the White house, although the contents of the note have not been made public.
President Biden plans to quickly begin dismantling some of Trump’s signature initiatives with a pile of executive orders and actions set to be signed on day one.
Kiley Hill is a junior majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, please email kvh5552@psu.edu.
