After a rocky and uncertain four years, millions throughout the world have likely had many moments where they believed the events that are set to take place on January 20 would never come.
Before November of 2020, that was due to the very real possibility of President Donald Trump winning re-election. And since he had repeatedly suggested that he would attempt to seek more than three terms, it’s unclear what would have transpired if that had occurred.
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But even after the election was decided, some unprecedented legal moves and a literal insurrection attempt at the U.S. Capitol sowed doubt that the will of the voters would prevail.
Of course, these events go a long way to reminding us that the events of tomorrow are not exactly predictable. But it will see President-Elect Joe Biden sworn in as the 46th President of the United States.
Although it’s a day that some Americans are dreading, millions more are seeing Biden’s Inauguration Day as a sort of light at the end of the tunnel.
According to LIC Post , this feeling was particularly strong in New York, where the Long Island City waterfront features a clock that has been counting down the days until the end of Trump’s presidency.
And tomorrow, it’s about to hit zero.
But while Biden will be sworn in at the Capitol as per the nation’s electoral tradition, we can expect a very different ceremony than we’d normally see.
As NBC News reported , Biden is contrasting with his predecessor in hoping that his inauguration draws one of the smallest crowds in American history.
For weeks, the reasoning behind this was that only a small, socially-distanced ceremony with most well-wishers tuning in virtually seemed responsible in the wake of the pernicious COVID-19 pandemic.
But now that the Capitol riot has taken place, officials have another cause for concern about the safety of attendees at the National Mall.
The possibility that further instances of domestic terrorism could disrupt the inauguration has prompted — as reported by CNN — officials throughout the country to deploy 25,000 members of the National Guard to Washington D.C. in anticipation of the day’s events.
As a precaution against any threats from among these ranks, Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller has stated that these incoming troops are being vetted.
Although the ceremony clearly has a serious backdrop, that doesn’t mean there won’t be some cause for excitement.
According to NBC News, the inauguration will feature appearances from Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga, Bruce Springsteen, and Garth Brooks.
Lopez is expected to put on a headlining performance while Lady Gaga will sing the national anthem.
As for Trump, he will likely already be gone by the time the ceremony begins.
As CNN reported , he is expected to leave the White House via Marine One before receiving a military-style farewell ceremony at Joint Base Andrews. It’s possible that this will feature a color guard, a military band, a red carpet, and a 21-gun salute.
Although Trump has made it clear that he will not be attending Biden’s inauguration, it remains unknown whether he will follow the traditions of leaving a letter for his successor or of making a farewell address.
However, neither of these seem likely at the time of this writing, despite the apparent pleading of the president’s aides.
h/t: NBC News
