In historic rite, Biden, Harris sworn in to lead US

New York, January 20, 2021

Joe Biden was sworn in as President and Kamala Harris as Vice President in a historic ceremony in Washington today to take the leadership of a nation ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic and riven by deep political hostility.

The daughter of Shyamala Gopalan became the first Indian American, the first woman, and the first African American to be sworn in as the Vice President, putting her a heartbeat away from the presidency.

Biden declared after being sworn in, "Democracy has prevailed."

Before Biden, Harris took the oath of office on two Bibles held by her husband Doug Emhoff, one of them that belonged to Regina Helton, whom she has called her "second mother" and another belonged to Thurgood Marshall, the first African American Supreme Court Justice.

She was sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina to serve on the court.

Next, Biden swore on a hefty family bible that his wife Jill Biden held. Chief Justice John Roberts gave him the oath of office.

At the stroke of noon, they assume the Presidency and Vice Presidency as mandated by the Constitution.

Donald Trump, who boycotted the ceremony, had already left Washington for his new home in Florida.

Two weeks after a mob of Trump supporters had attacked the Capitol, Biden and Harris stood on its west frontage to be sworn in.

The 25,000 National Guard called in to protect them outnumbered the guests at the ceremony. Unlike in the past, people were kept away because of the Covid-19 crisis and security considerations.

IANS