What Went Down During Joe Biden’s Inauguration

Well, with the caveat that I had streaming problems and missed some of the speech, I will go back to the question I posed earlier about the use of history to establish continuity today, since many of the usual traditions were interrupted by the pandemic and the exceptional nature of the outgoing administration and the last four years (see: Trump not attending). I think this is what we saw — lots of references to Lincoln and the Civil War, to the founders and to the other living former presidents.

This inauguration was odd in so many ways — an empty crowd, masks, no outgoing president at the event to mark a peaceful transfer of power. But at the same time, it was also a forceful reminder of how Biden wants things to change with his administration. A big emphasis on unity, a shoutout to the first female (and first woman of color) vice president, and a moment of silence for the victims of COVID-19. Biden pitched himself as the man for this difficult moment — now we get to see how he approaches the extraordinary tests he’s facing as president.

That was an inauguration that was extraordinary for its ordinariness, given the turmoil of the past few weeks, months and years. Now, the question is whether Biden can marshal public support for his presidency. Two things are at stake there: Uniting (to the extent it’s possible) a deeply divided nation and whether Biden can be an effective president and pass meaningful legislation (easier to do when you’re popular).