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When Joe Biden took his oath of office on Wednesday, a nightmare came to an end for many Americans - and for many America's friends abroad.
Donald Trump left behind a shaken and deeply divided country.
And after this four-year test of nerves, hearing a “normal” inaugural speech with a presidential tone was enough contrast to signal that the times of tumult, verbal failures and constant rule violations are over.
Biden's speech was both under the impression of the storm on the US Capitol two weeks ago and the ongoing Corona crisis with its daily record death toll in the USA.
In just a few sentences and simple words, the new president showed more empathy with the victims of the epidemic than Trump did in a full year as president.
And Biden had a clear message for those who see America as a democracy in decline.
"America was tested again and we passed the challenge again," said Biden.
"Democracy won the day."
Trump had given a gloomy and almost apocalyptic speech four years ago and touted himself as the only savior from adversity.
Biden now has much more reason to be gloomy because the country is in poor shape after four years of Trump and the pandemic.
The new incumbent has by no means whitewashed the problems, both in terms of the deep divisions in society and the pandemic of lies and fake news that threaten to undermine the democratic discourse.
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But Biden understood the spirit of America much better than his predecessor.
That national narrative of a country that always tries to overcome the adversities of the present in order to build a better society.
It is the "unique American way of being daring, restless - and optimistic," said Biden.
If America is united, it will be able to achieve great things.
Biden dedicated long passages to the topic of unity.
That is an ideal that every president appealed to.
But after the past four years, after which America split almost to the point of political dysfunction, the issue has assumed a new urgency, which Biden's speech was also clearly evident.
Forming a united society doesn't mean having no disagreements, Biden rightly observed.
But it means not seeing the political opponent as an enemy and not turning politics into an angry show.
One thing became clear again in this speech: Biden believes in an almost old-fashioned way in the uniqueness of America, in its ability to strive for great and lofty goals and to gradually overcome the respective inadequate present.
"We can make America the leading power of good in the world again," was Biden's message to America's allies.
That may sound naive to European ears.
But after Trump's narrow-minded nationalism in foreign policy, it is a relief that there is again a man in the White House who believes in "American exceptionalism" and that the United States has a mission for freedom and democracy that goes beyond national self-interest goes out.