emily it seems extraordinary to think it
was only two weeks ago that we were here
discussing the storming of the capital
by a mob
and only one week ago the unprecedented
second impeachment of donald trump
but today as you say a very different
feeling in washington
and it wasn't simply ceremonial we had
newly inaugurated president biden
signing 17 executive orders and two
pieces
of legislation they highlight his
immediate priorities and also i think
send a message
that his administration plans to
re-engage on the global stage
he rejoined the paris climate accord he
cancelled the permit for the keystone xl
oil pipeline
he stopped construction of donald
trump's border wall and he rescinded
that travel ban on those mainly muslim
countries that donald trump put in place
there was also a 1.9 trillion package
dollar track package of covered relief
and an immigration
package of legislation to shorten the
pathway to citizenship
for um people who are here without legal
authority to be here joe biden's
election campaign was all about
one simple message get rid of donald
trump and i can solve america's problems
it's not that simple of course these are
complex problems that though
is a a problem for another day today it
was all about something we took for
granted i think in america
the peaceful transfer of power as you
might be able to make out behind me
there's still plenty of security
here in washington but the day seemed to
go off without a hitch
and that was something pretty miraculous
to witness
america invented government of the
people by the people
and for the people but this time without
any people it's quite surreal down on
the national mall this morning this is
an inauguration
like no other instead of tens of
thousands of cheering people who would
normally cover
every open space here we've got fields
of flags we've got razor wire
and we've got riot shields and instead
of cheers
we've got more or less silence exactly
two weeks since a mob marched across
this grass to storm the capital
today it felt more like a place of
reflective calm
meanwhile at the white house the great
disrupter whose tenure has been marked
by so much division
headed for the helicopter and for the
door marked
well what at andrews military base he
prepared for his last flight on air
force one
air force lost might be a better call
sign but for a few more hours he was
still the commander-in-chief
it is my greatest honor and privilege to
have been your president
he left what could be read as either a
benediction
or a threat hey goodbye we love you
we will be back in some form
[Applause]
so have a good life we will see you soon
presumably he wasn't referring to his
upcoming impeachment trial
donald trump became the first president
to snub his successors inauguration
for 152 years but it would be wrong
to suggest anyone here particularly
missed him inauguration
is supposed to symbolize continuity and
change
the past lining up to validate the
present as the country looks to the
future
the future with a man who's older than
all the former presidents present
the swearing-in of the vice president
had a different historical note
the first black vice president the first
south asian vice president
and the first woman hi kamala davey
harrison
that i will support and defend the
constitution of the united states
and then the man who's waited longer
than anyone else for this honor
50 years in washington politics on his
third run for the presidency
joe biden stepped forward and raised his
hand
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
the transfer of power was all the more
significant because of the riotous
insurrection
of two weeks ago today we celebrate the
triumph not of a candidate
but of a cause the cause of democracy
the people the will of the people
has been heard and the will of the
people has been heeded
we've learned again that democracy is
precious
democracy is fragile at this hour my
friends
democracy has prevailed
his address could not have been more
different from that of his predecessor
where donald trump spoke of american
carnage joe biden promised a gentler
america
this is our historic moment of crisis
and challenge
and unity is the path forward
and we must meet this moment as the
united
states of america if we do that
i guarantee you we will not fail we have
never
ever ever ever failed in america we've
acted together
and so today at this time
in this place let's start afresh
and so the journey that began so many
years ago came to its conclusion
the end of the road to the white house
is the beginning of the challenges of
government
joe biden promised voters he could heal
america and solve its problems
now he must deliver it there's not many
men who embark on the most difficult
and grueling challenge of their lives at
the age of 78
that is what joe biden and america have
[Music]
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