This is supposed to be a moment of coming together, a centuries
old tradition of bipartisanship anchored around a peaceful
transfer of power, but Joe Biden faces a different kind of
reality and this is a different kind of inauguration. There are
no people out celebrating Vice President Mike Pence. He will
be there as we know Donald Trump will not because of COVID
in the social distancing. Adrienne It looks a bit like it's
not ready. The pageantry is. Scaled back today's program is
planned to the minute. Kamala Harris will be sworn in first
marking history, then by noon, Eastern Joe Biden will place
his hand on a Bible That's been in his family since the 1890s
and he will take the presidential oath of office.
One simple sentence and the forty-sixth presidency begins.
It's hard not to think of what that capital look like two
Wednesdays ago that place that 2 weeks ago today. Was being
stormed security officials were deeply concerned that the
perceived success of the attack on the Capitol on January 6
would embolden extremists in the United States to try and
take another attempt at some sort of disruptive action.
We're in Freedom plaza right now, and this is one of the
most secure areas in all of downtown DC. We've got dozens
and dozens and dozens of police officers lining the streets
here. This is not a happy time in this country. It is a
country in crisis. The fact that there are so many people
more than 70,000,000 Americans who voted for Donald Trump and
a large segment of those, especially the people. We've
spoken to here today. Do not see Joe Biden as the legitimate
president. I do not believe he won it legitimately. However, I
respect the office he holds and I will respect the person in
that office. What he is facing as us president is unlike
possibly what any other president has faced the
pandemic a divided nation and economy in trouble. It's as if
to hear him talk his entire political career has led to
this moment.
What you are all about to be part of America is a historic
moment of first to administer the oath to our first
African-American, our first Asian-American and our first
woman Vice President Kamala Harris. It is my great
privilege to welcome to the inaugural stage, the first
Latina to ever serve on the Supreme Court of the United
States of America just. Sonia So to my please raise your
right hand and repeat after me i kamala D Harris do solemnly
swear I Kamala D Harris do solemnly swear that I will
support and defend the constitution of the United
States that I will support and defend the constitution of the
United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
This land is your land. This land is my land. From California to the New York Islands.
Hi, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. do solemnly swear that I
will faithfully execute that I will faithfully execute the
office of President of the United States Office of
President of the United States. Today, we celebrate the triumph
not of a candidate, but of a cause because of democracy the
people, the will of the people has been heard and the will of
the people has been heated. We've learned again that
democracy is precious democracy is fragile and this hour. my
friends democracy has prevailed. A cry for survival
comes from planet itself, a cry that can't be anymore,
desperate or anymore clear and now arise of political
extremism, white supremacy, domestic terrorism that we must
confront and we will defeat.
To overcome these challenges to restore the soul and secure the
future of America requires so much more than words, it
requires the most elusive of all things in a democracy Unity
unity at this time in this place, let's start a fresh. all
of us. Let's begin to listen to one another again. hear one
another see one another show respect. One another politics
doesn't have to be a raging fire destroying everything in
his path. Every disagreement doesn't have to be a cause for
total war and we must reject the culture in which facts
themselves are manipulated and even manufactured.
My fellow Americans we have to be different than this America
has to be better than this, and I believe America is so much
better than this.
Thank you all. thank you very much. Thank you. It's
interesting all the all the things that went, according to
plan um, in spite of those fears in spite of what
happened, January 6, and this is not to say by any means that
all of that is gone away, but it didn't happen today.
The security we are talking about earlier the national
guard that we've seen sort of standing alongside um absent
any crowds whatsoever. Of course, they look completely
bored Adrienne and isn't that a good thing. They've had nothing
to do today. The absence of news to report about this day
in the in a year where there has been a fire hose of it is I
think is welcome for everyone for me. The most important part
of the day was something that didn't happen um and that is
the absence of President Trump. There is no such job as ex
Prime Minister of Canada, but there is such a job as
president of the United States. The former president is a
dignity of. And one of the most important, maybe the most
important responsibilities is to sit there as you were super
seated by your successor Donald Trump didn't do that job. He
not only left the presidency, but he refused to accept the
job of president of the United States. He didn't do his duty.
Remember how for 4 years Donald Trump spent so much time
undoing so many of Barack Obama's policies, Joe Biden is
about to flip all of that on its ear and undo a bunch of
Donald Trump policies and I thought the state of the nation
today. there's no time to wait to get to work immediately. the
president signing more than a dozen executive orders, one of
them, which greatly affects this country. It's gonna
rescind the presidential approval of the Keystone XL.
Pipeline as that beautiful ceremony was unfolding um the
company uh that runs Keystone Excel, which was TransCanada
and is now as TMX laid people off halted construction on the
pipeline uh that had been ongoing and was forced to lay
off workers. If you want an immediate sign of how uh the
change of administration has affected Canada, that is it.