Inauguration Day 2021: Obama, Bush and Clinton give message to Biden as Oval Office gets a revamp
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Your support makes all the difference.Barack Obama, George W Bush and Bill Clinton spoke in a taped message during the Celebrating America concert.
“Joe, I'm proud of you,” said Mr Biden’s former boss, Barack Obama.
Mr Biden called for American unity as he spoke at the Lincoln Memorial during a celebration concert.
“It is humbling to stand here in this place in front of these sacred words. Humbling out of respect to President Lincoln and the office we now share and humbling because of you, the American people," he said at the Celebrating America event.
“As I said earlier today, we have learned again that democracy is precious and because of you democracy has prevailed."
His speech came after the Senate confirmed his first cabinet nomination of Avril Haines for director of national intelligence.
Earlier he got to work at the Oval Office of the White House by signing several executive orders after being sworn in as the 46th president of the United States.
The first order he signed was a federal mask mandate, which would require the face shield on federal property and during interstate travel. His other two executive orders involved revoking Donald Trump’s Muslim travel ban and rejoining the Paris Climate Accords.
Vice President Kamala Harris also got straight to work on Wednesday after she was sworn in. She went to the Senate for the swearing in of three Democratic senators.
This all comes after a day filled with inauguration-related events, including Mr Biden and Ms Harris traveling to Arlington National Cemetery to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W Bush, and Barack Obama were all in attendance for the events.
Mr Trump, in comparison, broke precedent and left the White House for Mar-a-Lago in Florida without attending the inauguration. The one tradition Mr Trump did participate in was writing a letter to his successor, which was left in a drawer of the Resolute Desk. Mr Biden did not reveal the contents of the letter, but he did say it was "very generous”.
Oprah Winfrey says she’s ‘in tears’ over Kamala Harris becoming vice president
Oprah Winfrey tweeted out a picture of the moment Kamala Harris was sworn in as the first female, Black, and Southeast Asian Vice President of the United States.
She confessed the moment left her “in tears” when watching.
Youngest inaugural poet in US history recites poem about unity
National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman, 22, became the youngest inaugural poet in history to recite a poem during the historical event. Her poem, entitled The Hill We Climb, was written by Ms Gorman on the night of the US Capitol riots.
“We are striving to forge our union with purpose. To compose a country committed to all cultures, colours, characters, and conditions of man,” Ms Gorman said. “For there is always light if we are brave enough to see it. There is always light if we are brave enough to be it.”
She added: “But while democracy an be periodically delayed, it can never be permanently defeated.”
Watch her full poem here:
Biden says he’s heading to Oval Office today to get ‘immediate’ relief to Americans
President Joe Biden has shared his first tweet as POTUS, which stated he would be heading to the Oval Office later today to get immediate relief to Americans.
Pence speaks to his successor on steps of US Capitol
Former Vice President Mike Pence carried out the tradition of past presidents and Vice Presidents on Wednesday. He walked out of the US Capitol following the Inauguration Day events with his successor: Vice President Kamala Harris.
Footage showed Mr Pence walking down the steps with his wife, Karen Pence, along side Ms Harris and her husband, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff.
The moment was poignant given Donald Trump’s refusal to participate in President Joe Biden’s swearing-in ceremony. He became the first US president in 152 years to not attend.
‘Today, the work begins’: White House shares video vowing to ‘get Covid under control’
The White House Twitter page has released a video of where America stands today and what’s to come under the Biden administration.
Who is the 22-year-old poet who read at Joe Biden’s inauguration
Poet Amanda Gorman has become the youngest ever poet to read at a presidential inauguration after she read at the inauguration of President Joe Biden.
At age 22, the artist has made news before.
In 2014, she was named the first Youth Poet Laureate of Los Angeles, and three years later she became the country's first National Youth Poet Laureate. She has appeared on MTV; written a tribute to Black athletes for Nike; published her first book, The One for Whom Food Is Not Enough, as a teenager; and has a two-book deal with Viking Children's Books. The first work, the picture book Change Sings, comes out later this year.
More on Ms Gorman here:
Amanda Gorman: Who is the 22-year-old poet who read at Joe Biden’s inauguration
Gorman was not given specific instructions on what to write, but was encouraged to emphasise unity and hope
From Bernie’s mittens to Mike Pence’s alien hands, the inauguration was a joy and Trump must be furious
Biden’s speech subtly threw shade at his predecessor, while refusing to mention him by name. Kamala Harris did a double fist-bump. And Trump disappeared via helicopter in a moment fit for a movie villain, writes Holly Baxter.
Biden’s inauguration was enough to make Trump furious | Holly Baxter
Biden’s speech subtly threw shade at his predecessor, while refusing to mention him by name. Kamala Harris did a double fist-bump. And Trump disappeared via helicopter in a moment fit for a movie villain
Biden participates in inaugural signing ceremony
Part of the Inauguration Day events since 1981 include the new president signing several documents during a ceremony while in the President’s Room at the US Capitol.
Joe Biden signed three documents today: An Inauguration Day proclamation and the Cabinet and sub-Cabinet nominations.
He is expected to sign several executive orders later on Wednesday when he reaches the Oval Office.
Meet Vinay Reddy, the man behind Biden’s powerful inaugural address
President Joe Biden’s top speechwriter has entered the national spotlight as his inaugural speech received swift praise on Wednesday, with glowing reviews noting its powerful calls for unity and hope in the midst of challenging times.
Vinay Reddy, a senior adviser and director of speechwriting for the new president, previously served as chief speechwriter to Mr Biden during the second term of his vice presidency.
Chris Riotta reports:
Meet Vinay Reddy, the man behind Biden’s powerful inaugural address
New president’s top speechwriter is a longtime aide who previously worked with him in the White house
Kamala Harris shares first tweet from her Vice President Twitter account
Vice President Kamala Harris shared her first tweet on Twitter under the account title “VP”.
In the tweet, she shared the moment of when she was officially sworn in as the Vice President of the United States.
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