Biden, “the sound of democracy in the United States,” sworn in office at the steps of the Capitol Hill

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden takes office on the day of inauguration on the 20th (local time) on the west stairway of the Capitol in Washington DC. This is the place where President Donald Trump supporters invaded and occupied two weeks ago.

In fear of the recurrence of violence, a plan was also considered inside the capitol, but it was decided to hold the event on the outdoor stairs like previous presidents. It reflects the elect’s will to convey the message that US democracy does not yield to violence and that it is still alive and well.

White House Public Affairs Bureau Chief Kate Beddingfield appeared on ABC on the 17th and said, “According to tradition, Biden will take the oath of office outdoors on the western staircase of the Capitol.” Said.

In this regard, Congressman James Clyburn, who served as the chairman of the inauguration ceremony as a close friend of Biden, recently appeared on MSNBC. .

As the outdoor event is confirmed, the surrounding control and security posture on the day of the inauguration is expected to become more severe. Under the command of the White House Secret Service, the military and police have been preparing for the inauguration ceremony for over a year. On the day of the inauguration, it plans to deploy 25,000 National Guards from all 50 states. This is five times the size of the US military stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The number of attendance at the inauguration ceremony was also significantly reduced. In the past, the number of participants in the security area was about 200,000, but this time it was reduced to about 3,000 due to Corona 19, etc.

Along with the enforcement of the oath of office, Biden plans to deliver a message of harmony and healing to Americans and the world through his inauguration address. Biden has been working hard on the process of writing his own speech over the past two months, Bloomberg reported.

White House secretary chief Ron Klein said in an interview with CNN that day, “In the inauguration address, the elected person will emphasize the message of moving the country forward, uniting, and achieving results.”

Earlier, Biden declared, “I will be the president of everyone, not just those who voted for me.” The inauguration ceremony preparatory committee introduced on the 11th that the theme of this inauguration ceremony was’the United States as one.

The elect’s will is to overcome the division and hatred of the American society amplified during the presidential election and to restore the credibility of the fallen international community, but the reality is still not easy.

According to a poll released by CNN and SSRS that day, 75% of Republicans answered that “Biden-elect did not legally secure enough votes to win the presidential election.”

Of all respondents, 65% thought Biden was a legitimate victory. (A survey of 1003 adults in the United States on January 9-14, with 95% reliability and ±3.7% of sample error)

Even inside the transition committee, it is said that Biden will become the president who takes office in the most difficult conditions compared to previous presidents.

“Biden-elect is probably the most difficult time since Roosevelt (Franklin),” said Klein’s nominee. Roosevelt took office in 1933, during the Great Depression.

It is also from this background that Biden should refer to a speech made by Senator Robert Kennedy shortly after the assassination of Pastor Martin Luther King in 1968, when social conflict in the United States peaked.

When Senator Kennedy first delivered the news of King’s murder, he said, “What America needs is not division, hatred, violence or lawlessness, but love and wisdom, compassion for each other, and a sense of justice for those who are still suffering in this country, whether black or white. It is” he said.

Biden’s inaugural address is kept in strict secrecy, and it remains to be seen how much he will use the inaugural address of the previous president, who took over the presidency in crisis, said NPR.

Washington = Correspondent Park Hyun-young [email protected]