Yesterday was Inauguration Day for President Joe Biden. Never before had I been excited for a Democratic President, so this was a personal milestone to some degree. Though my political perspective is relatively similar to the vantage of six or eight years ago, I felt a general relief that an adult `leading the country – rather than a petulant mythomaniac. 

There was an inescapable picture cast across the world at the ceremony: Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama united behind President Biden at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Only two former living presidents missing – both ostensibly for issues of fragility, one physical and one mental. 

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Trump’s White House seemingly pushed an image of an outdated version of strength, one a former military psychiatrist once credited to Ernest Hemingway in the 1930s, psychiatrists were good for some people but not for me. The new administration is setting a different perspective on the pandemic protocols: masks, testing, and other protective measures are now required at the White House, for both staff and journalists. 

A surreal feeling resonated in the atmosphere, as if an overwhelming aroma was removed from the room. Some thought the odor repulsive while others found it mouth-watering. Regardless, the neutral fresh air blew and we, for a moment, saw one another with clarity. No, not everyone finds the current president appealing, but his neutral brand of politics is only as off-putting as his policy. We can disregard the feeling that he is a repugnant individual and accept that the government will once again operate as a function of the people and not of the personality. 

As someone who views the world through a multinational lens – and to be clear, I am a firm believer in American sovereignty – it was a relief that President Biden’s first order of affairs was to rejoin an international accord on climate change. Setting aside the personal feelings of the matter, it was a moment of relief to know that we are moving in a direction of unity and not isolation. The hope now is a continued commitment to strengthening our international order and setting a stark contrast between the West and East.  

Nevertheless, today was a celebration of America, a celebration of transferring power – even when, at times, enormous tension surrounded the transition. Joe Biden entered the White House just hours after Donald Trump left. I refrain from calling it peaceful. The language of Donald Trump toward the election results was anything but peaceful. He used his platform to bait and encourage a mob of protestors to sack the Capitol Building during a joint session of the U.S. Congress. He never invited President Biden to the White House, as has been done for over a century. However, the American Republic endured the stress test, and without incident, Joe Biden waltzed into the Oval Office and began working on January 20. 

I look forward to engaging on the policy issues. Biden’s agenda over the next few weeks will certainly produce its fair share of policy debates. The key will be the temperature of the room during those discussions. Dates set next week may spark some major fireworks as the Biden Administration is set to discuss Health Care and Immigration, two issues that sharply contrast Trump’s perspective. “A house divided cannot stand,” as Lincoln said, and how Biden works to unify the nation on issues such as these will be the ultimate test to his legacy. 

Featured photo courtesy of Youtube: WSJ