Several Americans who sought to lift spirits of their neighbors in the midst of the pandemic will also take part, including Dr. The parade will be hosted by “Scandal” actor Tony Goldwyn and will feature comedian Jon Stewart, New Radicals and DJ Cassidy’s “Pass the Mic” with performances by Earth Wind & Fire, Nile Rodgers, Kathy Sledge, The Trans Chorus of Los Angeles, The Washington Chorus and The Triumph Baptist Church Choir. And the drumlines from the University of Delaware and Howard University will join that event to honor the alma maters of the incoming president and vice president.

Biden and Harris will have a presidential escort from 15th Street to the White House including the US Army Band, a Joint Service Honor Guard and the commander in chief’s Guard and Fife Drum Corps. The inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue to honor the incoming administration will be largely a virtual one. Bush and Bill Clinton, along with their spouses.īut in an empty and heavily guarded city, the rest of the traditional inaugural festivities will be geared toward an audience that will be livestreaming at home. There will be no crowds in the streets or on the National Mall as the city remains in lockdown.īiden plans to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, joined by former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Plans for the inauguration itself have been reshaped not only by the pandemic, but also by the stunning security breach at the US Capitol on January 6. Inauguration Day looks different this year “It’s important to do that as a nation.”īiden turns his focus Wednesday to his plans to unite the country, to broker compromise with political opponents, and turn the Trump administration’s overly politicized response to the pandemic into a functional operation that can accelerate the delivery of vaccines to Americans and right the flagging US economy. He encapsulated the lessons of those personal experiences in his tribute to Covid-19 victims on the eve of taking the oath of office: “It’s hard sometimes to remember, but that’s how we heal,” he said at the memorial. The former vice president has long been defined by his innate ability to comfort strangers he has met throughout his journey in politics, because of his experience working through tragedies in his own life - from the loss of his first wife and his infant daughter in a 1972 car accident to the death of his 46-year-old son Beau Biden in 2015. Moments before 400 columns of light were illuminated on the edges of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to honor the lives lost, Biden invited Americans to mourn as he grieved alongside them - a moment that was extraordinary because there has been nothing like it during the Trump administration.

Honoring the victims of Covid-19īiden’s first act upon arriving in Washington Tuesday afternoon was to honor the victims of the coronavirus in a solemn ceremony, making it clear that offering compassion and understanding to Americans will be just as central to his mission as preventing more tragedy. Matthew the Apostle in DC ahead of the inaugural ceremonies with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, in a show of unity and Biden’s intent to work with leaders from both parties. Vice President Mike Pence plans to attend Biden’s inauguration, but the vice president’s public calendar does not indicate that he will attend the President’s event at Joint Base Andrews.īiden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris - who will make history Wednesday when she is sworn in as the first female, the first Black and first South Asian vice president - will attend a service at the Cathedral of St. Biden is expected to reflect on the theme at the root of his presidential campaign - restoring the “soul of the nation” - as he explains how he hopes to unite the country. I will be listening.”Īfter decades in politics, Biden will deliver what may be the most important speech of his life on Wednesday at a time when the nation is gripped by a seemingly uncontrollable pandemic, an economic collapse that has left millions unemployed and deep divisions over issues of racial justice and police brutality. “We love you, this has been an incredible four years,” Trump said in unscripted remarks at Joint Base Andrews shortly before leaving for Florida. On his way out of the Washington area, Trump thanked his staff and family but did not mention his successor by name.

Timothy harleth