Biden inauguration: democracy prevails
Joe Biden has called on Americans to end the ‘uncivil war’ that has shaken and divided the nation, saying unity is the only answer.
Joe Biden has called on Americans to end the “uncivil war” that has shaken and divided the nation, saying unity is the only answer to the historic challenges ahead.
In an inauguration speech aimed at soothing nerves rather than inflaming passions, the new US President declared that “democracy has prevailed” after being tested during the volatile reign of Donald Trump.
“Democracy is precious, democracy is fragile,” Mr Biden said after taking the oath of office from Chief Justice John Roberts outside the Capitol.
“And at this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed.”
Mr Biden takes office at a perilous time in the nation’s history with the coronavirus having taken more than 400,000 lives, a battered economy and the deepest political divisions in a generation.
With hours of taking office, Mr Biden moved quickly to start the unwinding of the Trump legacy by signing a blizzard of executive orders reversing policies on immigration, climate change, racial equity and the pandemic.
These included orders to halt the construction of Mr Trump’s US-Mexico border wall, rejoin the Paris climate accord and the World Health Organisation, end the travel ban from some Muslim-majority countries, and make mandatory mask-wearing on federal property.
Mr Biden also sent a far-reaching immigration bill to congress to provide an easier path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and called for a review of Mr Trump’s decisions to slash environmental regulations.
In all, Mr Biden signed 15 executive orders and two executive actions on his first day in office, far more than any of his modern predecessors, none of whom signed more than one.
On a day of firsts in Washington, the 78-year-old Mr Biden became the oldest US president while Kamala Harris became the country’s first female vice-president and the first of African-American and Asian heritage.
They took their oaths in a near-deserted national capital that was locked down for fear of violent protests following the storming of the Capitol by pro-Trump protesters earlier this month.
Standing on the podium in front of former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, Mr Biden said the deep political divisions that fuelled the Capitol riots needed to be healed if the nation was to move forward.
“We must end this uncivil war that pits red against blue, rural versus urban, conservative versus liberal,” he said.
“Politics doesn’t have to be a raging fire destroying everything in its path. Together we shall write an American story of hope, not fear, of unity, not division. Of light, not darkness. A story of decency and dignity, love and healing, greatness and goodness.”
Mr Biden said he was taking office at a time when the country faced historic challenges, from the coronavirus to a broken economy, to racial injustice and a bitter political divide. He said America had “much to repair, much to restore, much to heal, much to build, and much to gain”.
In comments that will be welcomed in Australia, the President recommitted the US to its global alliances and pledged to make the country a leader in world affairs again. “We will lead not merely by the example of our power but by the power of our example (to be) … a strong and trusted partner for peace, progress and security,” he said.
The inauguration ceremony, which featured entertainers Lady Gaga, Garth Brooks and Jennifer Lopez, was held in front of a closed National Mall without crowds because of the coronavirus.
Democrats also gained formal control of the Senate on Friday (AEDT) for the first time in a decade after three new Democratic senators were sworn in.
Democrats now control both houses in congress, giving Mr Biden a greater chance of implementing key election promises.
Hours before the inauguration, Mr Trump had an unorthodox departure from Washington in keeping with his presidency. The former president, who refused to host the traditional morning tea with Mr Biden or attend his inauguration, left the White House on the Marine One helicopter which did a farewell loop over Washington before flying to Andrews Air Force Base where he gave his final speech as leader of the US.
In front of several hundred supporters he gave a campaign-style address listing some of his achievements, saying “what we’ve done has been amazing by any standards”. He wished the Biden administration “great luck and great success”, saying that as president he had built “the foundation to do something really spectacular”.
“I can only say this, we’ve worked hard, we’ve left it all in the field,” Mr Trump said.
He said he would be back, without declaring whether he would run for president again. “Goodbye, we love you, we will be back in some form,” he said.
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