“This is America’s Day… this is Democracy Day. America has been tested again and has risen to the challenge.”… “With unity we can do great things, important things, and we can correct mistakes.”… “We will make America, once again, the leading power. For good in the world. "

With these words and others like them, the new US President, Joe Biden, in his first speech after his inauguration ceremony, tried to reach out to supporters of former President Donald Trump, at a time when the country suffers from deep political divisions and a wide spread of the Corona epidemic, which paralyzed the country.

Biden swore an oath and a hand on his family's Bible - the Bible itself, which he used to swear an oath for the last half century - and his family has kept this gospel for more than 150 years.

In his 23-minute speech, Biden said his inauguration was a day "to celebrate victory, not for a candidate; it's for democracy."

Historical timing of Biden's inauguration

Biden's speech came just two weeks after the riots, which took place on January 6 at the Capitol, as Trump supporters stormed a joint session of the House and Senate, trying to block the ratification of the results of the presidential elections, which took place on November 3, and won. In which Biden.

The storming left 5 people dead, including a Congressional police officer.

The speech also came one week after the House of Representatives indicted former President Trump for inciting him to storm Congress, and the condemnation resolution was passed, and Trump is awaiting trial before the Senate.

These presidential elections resulted in a great division and polarization after Biden won the votes of 81.4 million voters (51.4%) compared to 74.2 million for Trump (47%).

Trump has refused to admit the defeat, accusing Democrats of rigging and stealing the elections, and successive opinion polls indicate that less than 30% of Republicans see Biden as a legitimate president who won a fair election.

In contrast to Trump's speech 4 years ago about the American collapse and the need to save America and return it to the fore, Biden presented an optimistic vision for the country.

Biden said, "From now, on this holy land, where violence only a few days ago sought to shake the foundations of the Capitol Building, we come together as one nation under God, indivisible, to implement the peaceful transfer of power as we have done for more than two centuries, and we look forward to The future in our unique American way. "

A call to reconciliation and a warning of concerns

Biden referred in his first speech to "the rise of political extremism, and the spread of ideas of racist groups that believe in the supremacy of the white race and domestic terrorism." Break into Congress.

During the speech Biden returned several times to the issue of unity among Americans, and said that "restoring the spirit and future of America requires more than just words," and added, "This requires the most difficult thing in democracy, which is unity."

He continued, "Everyone must work to unify our people and unify our nation. I ask every American to join me on this issue, and to fight the enemies that we face," which he said include "anger, resentment, hatred, extremism, lawlessness, violence, disease and despair."

A BBS poll of 800 Republican voters indicated that 18% of Republicans supported the move to storm the Capitol, while more than 80% of Republicans believed that Trump was not responsible for the storming incident.

Biden spoke directly to Trump supporters, saying, "Listen to me as we move forward, this is democracy, this is America, you have the right to peacefully oppose. The dispute should not lead to estrangement."

Biden called for "dignity and respect," and urged Americans to "stop the screaming and reduce the degree of disagreement, because without unity there is no peace, and there will only be bitterness and anger."

He also urged Americans to "start over" and "start listening to each other again."

Presence of ancestors except Trump

Biden thanked his predecessors, former Presidents Democrat Barack Obama, Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Bill Clinton, for attending his inauguration.

President Trump did not attend Biden's inauguration, an unusual move that made him the first to ignore the inauguration of his successor since 1869.

Trump is the fourth president in history to not attend the inauguration of his successor.

Previous Presidents John Adams, John Quincy Adams and Andrew Johnson did not attend the inaugural ceremonies of their successors.

However, the inauguration ceremony was attended by outgoing Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen Pence.

Biden concluded his speech with a wave of hope, saying, "Together, we will write an American story, and it will be a story of light, not darkness."