Biden staff reveals theme of inauguration: ‘America United’

By ALEXANDRA JAFFE
Linked Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The theme for President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration will be “America United,” an concern that is extensive been a central concentrate for Biden but one particular which is taken on additional body weight in the wake of the violence at the U.S. Capitol final week.

In an announcement shared initially with The Linked Press, the Presidential Inaugural Committee reported that the theme “reflects the beginning of a new countrywide journey that restores the soul of America, brings the country collectively, and produces a route to a brighter long run.

In retaining with the topic of unity, the committee also declared that right after Biden is officially inaugurated, he, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and their spouses will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Mysterious Soldier in Arlington Countrywide Cemetery and will be joined there by previous Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton and their wives. It will be one of Biden’s very first functions as president, a clearly show of bipartisanship at a time when the countrywide divide is on stark exhibit.

The concentrate on unity has characterized Biden’s presidential operate from the commence, and he’s reported frequently given that successful the White Household that he sees unifying the nation as a single of his top rated priorities as president. But the scope — and urgency — of the problem Biden faces turned even clearer previous 7 days following President Donald Trump sparked an armed insurrection at the Capitol, spurred by his repeated makes an attempt to delegitimize Biden’s win.

Protection will be limited. The Countrywide Park Service introduced Monday that it would shut down general public entry to the Washington Monument until finally Jan. 24, citing threats bordering the inauguration.

Biden failed to convey worry about his very own individual protection at the inauguration.

“I’m not frightened of having the oath exterior,” he told reporters Monday. “It is critically critical that there’ll be a genuine serious target on keeping people people who engaged in sedition and threatening the lives, defacing public property, prompted excellent problems — that they be held accountable.”

Trump is skipping Biden’s inaugural, a conclusion Biden explained was a “great factor,” nevertheless Vice President Mike Pence and his spouse approach to attend.

“This inauguration marks a new chapter for the American people today — one particular of healing, of unifying, of coming jointly, of an America united,” claimed Presidential Inaugural Committee CEO Dr. Tony Allen. “It is time to turn the page on this era of division. The inaugural functions will replicate our shared values and serve as a reminder that we are more powerful with each other than we are aside, just as our motto ‘e pluribus unum’ reminds us — out of lots of, a person.”

The committee also introduced strategies for a main general public artwork display spanning numerous blocks of the Countrywide Shopping mall that will function 191,500 U.S. flags and 56 pillars of gentle, to signify just about every U.S. point out and territory. For the reason that of the coronavirus pandemic, Biden requested Us citizens to stay residence for his inauguration, so the “Discipline of Flags” is intended to represent “the American folks who are not able to travel” to the Capitol to rejoice his swearing-in, in accordance to the committee.

It can be not the only COVID-19-era modify to the festivities. In preserving with group sizing limitations to sluggish the distribute of the virus, Biden will have a drastically pared-down inauguration, with standard pursuits like the parade and the inaugural balls relocating to a virtual structure. But even as the celebration by itself will be lesser, inauguration officials are planning a substantial protection presence in planning for what may well be extra professional-Trump demonstrations across Washington.