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”.
Bush says Biden is the ‘only one who could have defeated the incumbent president’
Majority House Whip Jim Clyburn, a Democrat, spoke on a phone call with reporters on Wednesday where he detailed the praise former President George W Bush gave him.
Mr Bush reportedly told the key House Democrat that he was “the saviour” in helping President Joe Biden in the Democratic nomination and ultimately the presidency.
Then the former president went on to state that Mr Biden was “the only one who could have defeated the incumbent president.”
Mr Bush, a Republican, has made it clear over the years his lack of support for Donald Trump, including revealing that he did not vote for the 45th president in 2020.
Besides attending Inauguration Day for Mr Biden, the Bush family also released a video stating their pride in being able to participate in the historic event.
How many vice presidents have become president?
Joe Biden was inaugurated as the 46th US president on Wednesday, after previously serving as the vice president during the Obama administration.
Mr Biden, who served under Barack Obama between 2009 and 2017, is the first person in 32 years to be elected president after previously working as vice president.
The last person to work in both roles was George H W Bush, who became president after serving as vice president under Ronald Reagan for eight years.
James Crump reports:
How many vice presidents have become president?
Joe Biden was inaugurated as 46th US president on Wednesday
Biden breaks security advice to walk final length to White House
President Joe Biden has decided to walk the final length of the Inauguration Day parade to the White House.
It was not clear yet if Mr Biden would step out of the Beast and make the historic walk, given the current security concerns and Covid-19 pandemic. But the president decided to participate in the historic walk.
During the walk, Mr Biden stopped to greet Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser. He also addressed several reporters who were along the stretch of road, encouraging them to continue to do their jobs for the American public.
Another moment during the walk included Mr Biden jogging over to Today’s Al Roker and giving him an elbow bump. It was a momentous moment because the president also greeted Mr Roker eight years ago when he was walking along this parade stretch with then-President Barack Obama.
Kamala Harris walks final stretch of parade route into the White House
Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff followed in the footsteps of the president by walking the final stretch of the Inauguration Day parade route towards the White House.
During the walk, she was asked what it felt like being the first female vice president in the nation’s history. She responded: “You know.”
The vice president was later asked what her first priority would be upon entering office, and she responded: “Just walking to work.”
The historic walk ended with Ms Harris walking into the White House grounds with her family.
‘It feels like I’m going home’: Biden answers what it means to enter the White House as president
President Joe Biden stopped to speak to several reporters during his historical walk to the White House on the Inauguration Day parade route.
"Mr. President, you've been aspiring to this office for your whole career. What does this moment feel like?" NBC News reporter Mike Memoli asked.
Mr Biden responded: “It feels like I’m going home."
Biden’s inaugural address praised by commentators
Joe Biden’s inaugural speech lasted 21 minutes and has been widely praised for its dignified tone, and call for unity and respect.
Given in the traditional manner from the steps of the US Capitol, the address formed the centrepiece of a very different inauguration ceremony than the nation is used to due to both security threats and the coronavirus pandemic. There was no crowd thronging the National Mall.
Nevertheless, Mr Biden’s vow to be a “president for all Americans” and calls to “end this uncivil war that pits red against blue”, struck a chord with many commentators.
Oliver O’Connell has the story:
Biden’s inaugural address praised by commentators
Calls for ‘unity’ and end to ‘uncivil war’ struck chord with many
What did President Biden say during is inauguration address and what it means? Alex Woodward has the analysis.
President Biden’s inauguration speech: What he said and what it means
Inaugural address asserts that ‘unity is the path forward’ with honest admission of nation’s ‘historic moment of crisis and challenge’
Washington DC is a city of sounds as Joe Biden inaugurated and ‘democracy prevails’
The Independent’s Andrew Buncombe with what Inauguration Day sounded like in the nation’s capital:
America sighs with relief as Biden inaugurated and ‘democracy prevails’
‘Few people in our nation’s history have been more challenged or found a time more challenging or difficult than the time we’re in now,’ says 46th president
Biden enters the Oval Office for first time as president
President Joe Biden has officially entered the Oval Office of the White House.
A letter was left for him by former President Donald Trump on the Resolute Desk, the same place former President Barack Obama left his letter for Mr Trump.
It will be a busy day for Mr Biden, as he plans to issue several executive orders that will address current situations in the country, including ones related to immigration and Covid-19.
Vice President Kamala Harris, in comparison, has arrived to the US Senate. She will assist in the swearing in of three Democratic senators: Jon Ossoff, Reverend Raphael Warnock, and Alex Padilla.
Biden issues first presidential proclamation, declaring today a ‘National Day of Unity’
President Joe Biden’s has issued his first presidential proclamation that declares today, 20 January, 2021, as a “National Day of Unity”.
“I am humbled before God and my fellow Americans to take the sacred oath of President of our beloved country,” Mr Biden said
“Today, we celebrate the triumph of democracy after an election that saw more Americans voting than ever before in our Nation’s history, and where the will of the people has been heard and heeded.”
He went on to state that the country was struggling with several crises, including a “once-in-a-century deadly pandemic”, economic problems, racial injustice issues, and a climate crisis.
“Yet in this dire moment, democracy prevailed,” Mr Bide said. “On this day, we set our sights on the Nation we know we can and must be. I am honored to do so alongside Vice President Kamala Harris, the first woman who has taken the oath to serve in elected national office, and who will not be the last. Together, we know that to overcome the challenges before all of us, to restore the soul of America, requires the beating heart of a democracy: Unity.”
The proclamation then declared today as a National Day of Unity by the Biden administration.
Mr Biden called “upon the people of our Nation to join together and write the next story of our democracy — an American story of decency and dignity, of love and of healing, and of greatness and of goodness.”
Harris swears in three new senators, giving Democrats control of Senate
Vice President Kamala Harris’ first job in office was to swear in Senators Jon Ossoff, Reverend Raphael Warnock, and Alex Padilla.
The swearing in of the three senators officially give Democrats control of the Senate. There are 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans in the Chamber, so Ms Harris will act as the tie-breaking vote.
Democrats taking over the Senate chamber from Republicans means Mitch McConnell has now become the Senate minority leader. Senator Chuck Schumer has taken over as majority leader of the chamber.
Alex Woodward has the breaking news:
Kamala Harris swears in three senators in first official act as VP
Vice president Kamala Harris has sworn in newly elected US Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock of Georgia, as well as her replacement Alex Padilla of California, affirming a Democratic majority in the Upper Chamber of Congress.
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