Joe Biden Sworn In; Promises To Be A President ‘For All Americans’

Joseph R. Biden, Jr. was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States at a ceremony held at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.

U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts administered the oath of office to Biden, 78.

Kamala Harris, 56, was sworn into office as the first woman U.S. Vice President by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

Born to parents of Indian and Jamaican origins, Harris has become the first black and Asian-American to be elevated to the post.

Biden helmed a Democratic return to power by defeating incumbent President Donald Trump in the hotly contested presidential election. Trump, who has not yet conceded defeat, alleging that his opponent stole the election, departed the White House on Wednesday morning, breaking the long-held tradition of welcoming the incoming President and attending the inaugural ceremony.

In the wake of Covid restrictions, the 2021 presidential inauguration was held without mass participation and cheering crowds. White House, Capitol Hill and other crucial spots in the capital were fortified against possible protests by right-wing extremists.

The day-long events of the inauguration kicked off with Joe Biden, a Catholic, attending mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in the morning. His wife Dr. Jill Biden, Kamala Harris and her husband Douglas Emhoff also attended the service.

Delivering inaugural address at the West front of the Capitol, Biden vowed that he will be a president for all Americans.

“I will fight as hard for those who did not support me as for those who did,” he told the nation.

Biden said the country must confront the rise of white supremacy and reject manufactured facts.

After being sworn in as the oldest President in U.S. history, Biden outlined the biggest challenges facing the country – a devastating pandemic, massive job losses, a threatened environment, calls for racial justice, and a resurgence in political extremism.

Biden pledged to repair Washington’s alliances and “engage with the world once again.”

He asked the audience to hold a silent moment of prayer for Covid victims.

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