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President-elect Joe Biden with his wife Jill
Source: Patrick Kelley / PA Images
TWO MONTHS AFTER a landslide election victory, Joe Biden will be officially sworn in as the 46th President of the United States today.
This year’s inauguration will be like no other, taking place in the midst of a global pandemic, so the crowds (or the lack of them) won’t be as controversial as four years ago.
The official transition of power will take place at noon local time (5pm Irish time), but Donald Trump has already said that he will not be there to pass the baton on to his successor, becoming the first outgoing president not to do so since Andrew Johnson. . in 1869.
So who will attend Biden’s induction? How will you adhere to Covid-19 restrictions? What will happen during the event? And who provides the entertainment?
Here is everything you need to know …
Who will be there?
Well, for starters, the president-elect himself and his wife, future First Lady and former Second Lady Jill Biden.
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and her husband Douglas Craig Emhoff, who will become the first second gentleman in American history, will also be there.
And so will former Presidents George W Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama, along with former First Ladies Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama.
But 39th President Jimmy Carter will not be there, the first inauguration to be missed since his in 1977. That has less to do with a Trump-style boycott, and more to do with the fact that he is 96 years old and taking precautions related to Covid.
Another person who will be there is current Vice President Mike Pence, who has publicly accepted the election result and will see his successor take office.
Source: PA Images
How will the inauguration take place?
As in other years, Biden’s inauguration will take place on the steps of the United States Capitol building, but his team has asked people not to travel to Washington DC.
There will be no parades or crowds gathering along the National Mall (the place where the aerial shots caused so much controversy last time).
Instead, organizers have allocated just over 1,000 tickets for the event, one for each of the 535 members of Congress, all of whom can bring a guest.
Members of the military band during a dress rehearsal on Monday
Source: AP / PA Images
So there will be no performances?
Oh, there will be good performances. There simply won’t be as many as there usually are.
Although this time it is a smaller event, Lady Gaga has been summoned (no, not literally) to sing the national anthem of the United States. And Jennifer Lopez will also act in a capacity as yet unknown.
That will be it until the televised performances (more on that later).
Is there a theme?
You gamble. If you followed the election or anything that has happened since then, you may know that Biden’s big launch to the US is healing the country after four years of political turmoil and division under Trump.
With that in mind, the organizers of the inauguration have opted for a theme under the motto “America Unida”.
To make up for everyone who won’t be attending, the Biden Inaugural Committee will have sections of the US represented in a different way.
A public art exhibit will feature 191,500 American flags and 56 pillars of light along the National Mall.
The first will represent the “American people who cannot travel” to the Capitol, while the second will represent all the states and territories of the United States.
Flags placed on the National Mall in Washington.
Source: Alex Brandon / PA Images
What is the schedule of the day?
Briefly:
11:30 a.m. (4:30 p.m. in Ireland): The opening ceremony will begin, including opening remarks from former Georgetown University president and Biden’s partner, Father Leo J O’Donovan.
Shortly before 12pm (5pm in Ireland): Kamala Harris will be sworn in under the supervision of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor (vice presidents traditionally take office first).
Around 12pm (5pm in Ireland): Joe Biden will raise his right hand and recite the oath of office, also under the supervision of Judge Sotomayor.
He will say, “I solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of the President of the United States and that, to the best of my ability, I will preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
Later, Biden will deliver his keynote address.
12:30 pm (5.30pm in Ireland): The ceremony will end. But wait, there’s more…
15:00 to 17:00 (20:00 to 22:00): The new president and vice president will travel to Arlington Cemetery to lay a wreath at the grave of the Unknown Soldier, accompanied by former Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and their wives.
Then, Biden will receive a presidential escort back to the White House, where he will conduct a quick military inspection.
Joe Biden swears in then-senator Kamala Harris in 2016
Source: SIPA USA / PA Images
What can we expect from the opening speech?
Biden’s first speech is expected to focus on calls for Americans to come together and take the Covid-19 pandemic with new seriousness.
He is also ready to herald a dramatic shift away from Trump’s ‘America First’ ideology, bringing America back to its alliance-building traditions.
This will begin with the new president ordering the United States to re-engage in the Paris climate accord starting today (although this may not be part of his speech).
What security measures are there?
Given the events at the Capitol building earlier this month, security in Washington has been tightened to ensure that everything runs smoothly.
Biden will be sworn in on the steps of the Capitol under the protection of more than 20,000 National Guard soldiers. Checkpoints and large areas closed to ordinary citizens mean there will only be a few guests at the ceremony.
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In a sign of the times, the country’s acting defense secretary said Monday that the army and the FBI are investigating National Guard soldiers, who carry automatic weapons, in case any of them pose a threat to the security.
National Guard troops reinforce security zone on Capitol Hill
Source: J. Scott Applewhite / PA Images
What is Trump doing?
Avoiding all coverage of the inauguration presumably.
Later this morning, the 45th president will depart early for his Florida base from the White House, to benefit from full presidential travel privileges until the last minute.
It is unclear whether Trump will receive Biden and his wife on the usual courtesy visit to the White House before the handover.
After he leaves Pennsylvania Avenue, Marine One will take Trump from the White House to Joint Base Andrews to take Air Force One, the presidential plane that, as of 12 p.m., he will no longer be able to use it.
According to a Bloomberg report, he is also hosting a military send-off for himself at Andrews, watched by a crowd of guests.
Trump’s political future looks bleak from then on: He faces a historic second impeachment vote and countless court battles, the return of which depends on finding new ways to mobilize his base.
A Senate trial on his role in the events on Capitol Hill this month could begin this week.
If Trump is indicted, he could subsequently be barred from holding political office again, prosecuted, and his presidential pension withdrawn.
Where can I see the events of the day?
If you are a traditionalist with access to a television, the ceremony will be covered on virtually any news channel.
For an Irish angle, RTÉ will broadcast events on RTÉ One and online starting at 4pm, spearheaded by Six One co-host Caitríona Perry and Washington correspondent Brian O’Donovan.
If you don’t like that, the BBC is covering it too, or if you want a more local flavor, the US networks MSNBC and CNN will also broadcast the ceremony.
And if you’re not near a TV, you can watch a live stream of Sky’s coverage via Youtube here.
Wait, what did you say earlier about the televised performances?
Oh yeah. Given the global pandemic, the celebrations and parades that often accompany openings will be replaced by a 90-minute television special called “Celebrating America,” hosted by Tom Hanks.
The show, which kicks off at 1.30am Irish time, will feature performances by musicians such as Justin Timberlake, Demi Lovato, Jon Bon Jovi and Ant Clemens.
Biden and Harris are also expected to speak on the show, which will air live on US networks CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, and MSNBC, and will air on platforms such as Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, Twitch, and Amazon Prime Video.
Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson
Source: Javier Rojas / PA Images
What is the weather forecast?
At the time of writing, the outlook is for partly cloudy conditions but with rain and temperatures of 5 degrees.
– With AFP 2021 report
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