Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States and Kamala Harris took oath as first woman Vice President on Wednesday. The keenly-awaited event was historic in its own ways but scaled down under the unprecedented security umbrella of thousands of security personnel, who transformed the Capitol into a fortress to prevent any breach by pro-Trump extremists.
Biden, who is the oldest president in American history, took the oath by placing his left hand on his 127-year-old family Bible, which was held by his wife, Jill Biden. He used the same Bible during his swearing-in as vice president and seven times as senator from Delaware. The inauguration was held under the watch of more than 25,000 National Guards, who have transformed the capital into a garrison city, mainly because of the threat of more violent protests by the supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump, who became the first president to skip his successor's inauguration since Andrew Johnson in 1869. Outgoing Vice President Mike Pence attended the ceremony.
WHAT JOE BIDEN SAID: HIGHLIGHTS
- My message to those beyond our borders -- America has been tested, and we've come out stronger for it. We will repair our alliances and engage with the world once again.
- We'll lead, not merely by the example of our power, but by the power of our example. We'll be a strong and trusted partner for peace, progress and security.
- Today, we celebrate triumph not of a candidate but of a cause, the cause of democracy. People and will of the people have been heard. We have learned again that democracy is precious, democracy is fragile and at this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed.
- I know forces that divide us are deep & they are real. But I also know they are not new. Our history has been a constant struggle between the American ideal that we're all created equal and harsh ugly reality that racism, nativism, fear, demonization have long torn us apart.
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Through tough times in US history — the Civil War, the Great Depression, both world wars and the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks — "our better angels have always prevailed."
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In every instance, Americans have been able to come together for the greater good. History, faith and reason show the way, the way of unity.
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Today, on this January day, my whole soul is in this: Bringing America together, uniting our people, uniting our nation.
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Uniting to fight the foes we face. Anger, resentment and hatred, extremism, lawlessness, violence, disease, joblessness and hopelessness. With unity we can do great things, important things.
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The predicaments currently facing the nation are historic. Few Americans have found a time more challenging than the time we are in now.
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Coronavirus silently stalks the country. More lives have been lost to the disease than were lost in World War I.
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I thank my predecessors of both parties for their presence here today. I thank them from the bottom of my heart... And I know the resilience of our Constitution and the strength, the strength of our nation, as does President Carter, who I spoke with last night, who cannot be with us today, but whom we salute for his lifetime in service.
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I have just taken a sacred oath each of those patriots taken. The oath first sworn by Washington. But the American story depends not on any one of us, not on some of us, but on all of us. On we, the people, who seek a more perfect union. This is a great nation. We are good people.
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