AIMING TO SEND A MESSAGE.
THE WORK STARTS NOW.
JUST HOURS AFTER HE WAS SWORN
INTO OFFICE, APRESIDENT, JOE BI.
♪ YOU'RE A FIREWORK ♪
.
>> Reporter: IN THE SHADOW OF
THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL, THE NEW
PRESIDENT URGING HIS CALL TO
ACTION.
>> THIS IS A GREAT NATION.
WE'RE A GOOD PEOPLE.
AND OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES IN
FRONT OF US REQUIRES THE MOST
ELUSIVE OF ALL THINGS IN A
DEMOCRACY, UNITY.
>> Reporter: THAT SAME MESSAGE
ECHOED BY THE THREE FORMER
PRESIDENTS WHO ATTENDED BIDEN'S
INAUGURATION.
FORMER PRESIDENTS OBAMA, BUSH,
AND CLINTON.
>> AS AMERICANS, WE HAVE MORE IN
COMMON THAN WHAT SEPARATES US.
>> Reporter: THEIR COLLECTIVE
WORDS ABOUT THE PEACEFUL
TRANSFER OF POWER AN APPARENT
DIRECT REBUKE OF FORMER
PRESIDENT TRUMP, THE FIRST
AMERICAN LEADER IN MORE THAN 150
YEARS NOT TO ATTEND HIS
SUCCESSOR'S INAUGURATION.
ALL OF IT CAPPING AN HISTORIC
ONE OF A KIND INAUGURATION.
>> I, JOSEPH BIDEN, DO SOLEMNLY
SWEAR.
>> Reporter: PRESIDENT BIDEN
SWORN IN AMONG SOCIALLY
DISTANCED GUESTS.
A STRIKINGLY DIFFERENT IMAGE
FROM TWO WEEKS AGO WHEN A
VIOLENT MOB STORMED THE CAPITOL
IN THE VERY SAME SPOT FOLLOWED
BY A WEEK LATER WITH THE SECOND
IMPEACHMENT OF DONALD TRUMP.
THOSE RECENT EVENTS AT THE
FOREFRONT OF BIDEN'S INAUGURAL
ADDRESS.
>> DEMOCRACY IS PRECIOUS.
DEMOCRACY IS FRAGILE.
AT THIS HOUR, MY FRIENDS,
DEMOCRACY HAS PREVAILED.
>> Reporter: BIDEN, IMPLORING
THAT SOLIDARITY IS CRITICAL TO
COMBATTING COVID-19.
>> WE MUST SET ASIDE POLITICS
AND FINALLY FACE THIS PANDEMIC
AS ONE NATION.
ONE NATION.
>> Reporter: AND OFFERING THIS
MESSAGE FOR THOSE WHO DID NOT
VOTE FOR HIM.
>> I WILL BE A PRESIDENT FOR ALL
AMERICANS.
ALL AMERICANS.
>> Reporter: WEDNESDAY'S
CEREMONY MARKING AN IMPORTANT
FIRST.
KAMALA HARRIS BECOMING THE FIRST
WOMAN VICE PRESIDENT.
IT WAS A DAY FILLED WITH POMP
AND PAGEANTRY.
FROM LADY GAGA'S SOARING
NATIONAL ANTHEM TO 22-YEAR-OLD
AMANDA GORMAN'S POWERFUL POEM.
IN A SOMBER MOMENT, AFTER THE
CEREMONY, PRESIDENT BIDEN LAYING
A WREATH AT THE TOMB OF THE
UNKNOWN SOLDIER, AND WITH THE
PARADE SCALED BACK BECAUSE OF
THE PANDEMIC, THE PRESIDENT TOOK
IT ALL IN.
>> AS YOU'RE ABOUT TO WALK --
>> OVERNIGHT AT THE WHITE HOUSE,
THE PRESIDENT ENJOYING THE PRIME
TIME CELEBRATION WITH HIS
FAMILY.
AND LATER TAKING IN THAT MASSIVE
FIREWORKS DISPLAY WITH THE FIRST
LADY, JILL BIDEN.
A DECADE'S LONG DREAM REALIZED
AND FOR THE COUNTRY, A NEW
BEGINNING.
>> Reporter: NOW, PRESIDENT
BIDEN'S CALL FOR UNITY AND
BIPARTISANSHIP HAS PRACTICAL
IMPLICATIONS BECAUSE DEMOCRATS
NOW CONTROL THE HOUSE AND THE
SENATE BY THE NARROWEST OF
MARGINS.
IT MEANS IF HE WANTS TO GET HIS
LEGISLATIVE AGENDA PASSED IN
SOME INSTANCES, HE'S GOING TO
NEED REPUBLICAN SUPPORT.
>> AND A BIG TICKET ITEM, OF
COURSE, IS CABINET
CONFIRMATIONS, AND WHAT'S THE
STATUS THERE?
I KNOW AT LEAST ONE NOMINEE HAS
BEEN CONFIRMED NOW.
>> Reporter: ONE NOMINEE HAS
BEEN CONFIRMED.
THAT IS HIS PICK FOR DIRECTOR OF
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE.
AND IT COULD BE A BIG DAY FOR
HIS CHOICE FOR DEFENSE
SECRETARY, LLOYD AUSTIN, WHO
WILL GET A VOTE TODAY ON WHETHER
HE'S GOING TO GET A WAIVER.
WHY DOES HE NEED A WAIVER?
WELL, BECAUSE IN ORDER TO SERVE
IN THAT POST, YOU NEED TO BE OUT
OF UNIFORM FOR SEVEN YEARS.
HE RETIRED IN 2016.
NOW, JUST A REMINDER.
FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP'S FIRST
PICK FOR DEFENSE