Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. will be sworn in as the 46th president of the United States on Wednesday, becoming the oldest person — at age 78 — to take the oath of office.
Kamala Devi Harris will make history just before Biden’s swearing in by taking the vice presidential oath, making her the first woman, the first person of color, and the first Indian American to hold the office.
The ceremony will look exceedingly different than past inaugurations, with crowds restricted by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and because of heightened security concerns following the violent breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
Here’s a rundown of what to expect:
How do I watch the inauguration?
You can stream the inauguration free online at bideninaugural.org and on YouTube.
On television, you can watch on the major cable news networks like CNN, CNBC, Fox News, MSNBC, and the big four networks ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC.
There are other streaming options on services like Hulu + Live TV, fuboTV and SlingTV. You can watch with Sling on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku, with Chromecast, on Xbox One.
What time is the inauguration?
The ceremony will begin around 11:30 a.m. with an invocation and pop star Lady Gaga singing the national anthem on the Capitol’s West Front in a socially distanced event for about 1,000 attendees (mostly members of Congress and their guests). Jennifer Lopez will also perform a musical number.
Amanda Gorman, the first National Youth Poet Laureate, will deliver a poetry reading, and Andrea Hall, president of the International Association of Firefighters Local 3920 in Fulton County, Georgia, will deliver the pledge of allegiance.
Harris will be sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor shortly before noon.
Biden will be sworn in precisely at noon by Chief Justice John Roberts. Biden will declare, “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. So help me God.”
What happens next?
As soon as Biden finishes the presidential oath of office, the Army Ceremonial Band “Pershing’s Own” will sound four ruffles and flourishes to signify Biden as the new commander in chief.
According to military tradition and courtesy, ruffles and flourishes are sounded together, once for each star of the general officer being honored or according to the title or office held by the honoree. Four ruffles and flourishes is the highest honor, and always played for the president. Immediately following ruffles and flourishes will be the playing of “Hail to the Chief.”
A presidential salute battery from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment will render a 21-gun cannon salute to conclude the swearing-in ceremony.
Will Biden give an inaugural address?
Though the ceremony is scaled down, Biden will still deliver the traditional address given by all presidents who take the oath of office. CNN said he will aim to unify a country in crisis.
According to CBS News, Biden’s aides have shared few details of his speech. However, a transition official told CBS that Biden is expected to directly address outgoing President Donald Trump’s supporters and emphasize that he will be a president for all Americans.
“This will be a moment where President-elect Biden will really work to try to turn the page on the divisiveness and the hatred over the last four years and really lay out a positive, optimistic vision for the country,” incoming White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.”
What’s the lineup of events following Biden’s speech?
Following his address, Biden and Harris will move to the Capitol’s East Front for a pass in review, a tradition to assess military troops and ceremonial military regiments. Then, Biden, Harris and former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, along with their spouses, will travel to Arlington National Cemetery to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Following the ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, Biden and Harris will receive a military escort from 15th Street to the White House. There will be no formal inaugural parade, which was canceled by public health and safety concerns.
Instead, there will be a virtual parade titled “Parade Across America,” expected to feature “diverse, dynamic performances in communities across the country” while “paying homage to America’s heroes on the front lines of the pandemic.”
Who is performing at the inaugural ceremonies?
A 90-minute program called “Celebrating America” will feature musical acts and remarks from both Biden and Harris on Wednesday evening.
The special will be hosted by actor Tom Hanks and will air live on ABC, CBS, CNN and MSNBC, from 8:30-10 p.m. It will also feature performances from Jon Bon Jovi, Demi Lovato, Justin Timberlake and Ant Clemons.
On Monday afternoon, the Presidential Inaugural Committee announced that country star Garth Brooks will also perform on the show.
“This is not a political statement, this is a statement of unity,” Brooks told reporters on a news call Monday.
Morning Call reporter Stephanie Sigafoos can be reached at 610-820-6612 or ssigafoos@mcall.com.
