Inauguration Day

Subdued, substantive, different, yet familiar

“We braved the belly of the beast”

“We braved the belly of the beast,” proclaimed National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman. Her original poem performance, called “The Hill We Climb,” stole the show of President Biden’s inauguration for me. If you missed it, I highly recommend watching her recital here. “We will rebuild, reconcile and recover,” the 22-year old Gorman read, just a few minutes after newly-sworn-in President Biden declared “Democracy has prevailed,” and “We must end this uncivil war.”

In fairness, of course, the true highlight of the ceremony was Biden’s inaugural speech, which was a sharp contrast to Donald Trump’s “American carnage” speech four years ago. And, giving credit where credit is due, Lady Gaga delivered perhaps the best rendition of the national anthem I’ve ever heard, complete with her own golden microphone and golden earpieces disguised as earrings.

Biden did not speak in anger, nor did he attack his predecessor. But he did not shy from addressing the Covid-19 pandemic’s appalling toll, or calling out the most important breaches of the “guard rails” of democracy, including rejecting white supremacy, domestic terrorism, and what Biden called “the culture in which facts themselves are manipulated, and even manufactured.” (You can read an annotated text of Biden’s speech by the NY Times here.)

Many rituals of inaugural traditions remained comfortingly in place. But not all. Bipartisan speakers surrounded Democrat Joe Biden as he took his oath of office and delivered his speech. Vice President Pence, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy were on the platform, along with most living former Presidents. (Donald Trump declined to attend; Jimmy Carter, at 96, could not make the trip.) Vice President Kamala Harris personally escorted her predecessor to his motorcade, one of the globally-noticed traditional symbols of peaceful transfer of power in the American democracy.

Despite the pandemic, the inauguration featured one of the most admired photo opportunities of these events since Jimmy Carter started the tradition at the first inauguration I covered, in 1976, when he and Rosalyn Carter left their limousine to walk along Pennsylvania toward the White House. The Bidens and Harrises “walked to work” (Kamala Harris’ words) on their first day.

Doug Mills, NYT

Across the nation, sudden, blissful silence… mostly

Across the country, the political rage of recent weeks abruptly mostly seemed to have dissipated. Because of that recent rage, security in Washington was extraordinary; inauguration watchers were actively discouraged from attending. Elsewhere, after threats and preparations for protest, it was mostly quiet.

A pro-Trump protest gathering at the state capitol in Michigan on inauguration day. (NYT)

But in Seattle and Portland, Oregon, self-described “anarchists, anti-fascists and racial justice protesters” smashed windows at a Democratic Party headquarters and scuffled with authorities, demanding more than a change of administrations in Washington.

And one of the most-watched traditions of past inaugurations, the inaugural balls, fell to the pandemic… replaced by a string of staged, star-studded televised musical tributes hosted by Tom Hanks, who was visibly freezing outside the Lincoln Memorial. Gone were the glitter and glitz of past extravagant dances… replaced by dark coats, warm gloves and red noses… and glimpses of the Bidens and Harrises watching at the White House. And perhaps the biggest display of fireworks I’ve ever seen since coming to Washington in 1972. (For the record, the fireworks didn’t spell out “Trump,” or “Biden.” They were just fireworks.)

By the end of the day, President Biden had signed a bevy of directives reversing Trump administration executive orders. They included sending Dr. Anthony Fauci back to the World Health Organization with a letter announcing that the U.S. is re-joining that institution, and ending the Muslim travel ban to the United States. Another reversal saw reporters once again participating in a Q&A briefing in the White House briefing room.

Kamala Harris’ most quotable remarks of the day came at the end of the very long day. She still had her trademark smile as she stood before the 400 lights memorializing the 400,000 Americans who have died in the pandemic and declared, “Even in dark times, we not only dream, we do,” and asking Americans “to unite, to believe in ourselves, believe in our country — believe in what we can do together.”