How to Watch the Inauguration
Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States at 12 p.m. ET Wednesday. Tomorrow’s event will be particularly bizarre, featuring a pop star group that has already been somewhat marred by the threat of violence following the attack on the US Capitol this month. The pandemic is also affecting that equation, which means Biden’s inaugural committee is urging fans to stay home and watch the holiday from their sofas.
However, pop culture will merge with the political spectacle: Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris take up the Bible and swear oaths to the Constitution; Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez and Garth Brooks will sing several songs; some former presidents and first ladies will be present; and there will probably be talks about healing. All of this will come with the dual specter of COVID-19 and the threats of violent extremism looming over the Capitol.
With that in mind, here’s what to look out for today and tomorrow, and how you might have fun watching the holiday at home.
There will be music at the ceremony
Before we get into the formalities of actually swearing in a new president, let’s talk about Jennifer Lopez. The pop star will be one of three megastars on the schedule, including Lady Gaga and country singer Garth Brooks, who also played at Obama’s inauguration.
Both Gaga and Lopez will play during Biden’s inauguration ceremony, with Gaga singing National Anthem and Lopez performing after a reading from 2017 Poetess Laureate Amanda Gorman. Brooks is also set to play in Washington during the ceremony. Performances on the steps of the Capitol usually take place during the inauguration, although it is not entirely clear where the stage will be set this year, given all the security concerns and pandemics.
In any case, the event itself is similar to the Super Bowl, only with the participation of justices of the Supreme Court and former heads of state.
What a real ceremony will be like
I guess we should discuss the most important part of the day, which surprisingly has very little to do with Lady Gaga. Biden and Harris will be sworn in around noon Wednesday, Chief Justice John Roberts will honor Biden, and Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor will take the oath of office for Harris. The theme of the day is “United America”.
NBC News explains the order of events:
The meeting will begin with a message from the Reverend Leo J. O’Donovan , a Jesuit priest, former president of Georgetown University and a close friend of the Biden family. Andrea Hall , the first African American firefighter to become the captain of the South Fulton, Georgia Fire and Rescue Department, will take the Pledge of Allegiance.
Biden is then due to give a speech on the theme of the day, in which he must have a lot of questions if he wants to talk about an unprecedented moment in history that we are experiencing. The event will be televised by Biden’s inaugural committee and broadcast by all major networks.
More Stellar Holidays
COVID will push Biden away from traditional inaugural balls and dinners, but there will be an oversaturation of virtual events to keep America on top of every step the president-elect takes. Harris will host the We Are One event tonight to celebrate the resilience and heroism of Black Americans. Other speakers during the event will include Stacey Abrams, Senator Corey Booker and new Senator Rafael Warnock, according to the Associated Press.
Tonight at 5:30 pm ET, Biden and Harris will commemorate the nearly 400,000 Americans killed by the pandemic with 400 lights surrounding the Lincoln Memorial Reflective Pool. The inaugural committee has details on how to keep track of both events and many more.
In a much less formal setting, Wednesday evening will end with an online bacchanalia hosted by Tom Hanks. The Prime Time Celebration of America special will be like an Oscar or a Grammy, only with more talk about unity and healing. According to the inaugural committee, the show will feature “Ant Clemons, Jon Bon Jovi, Foo Fighters, John Legend, Eva Longoria, Demi Lovato, Bruce Springsteen, Justin Timberlake and Kerry Washington.”
The event will air on ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, MSNBC, and PBS, with the Biden / Harris team providing more details on how to watch the show if you don’t have cable.
How to brighten your inauguration day
The past four years have been tough, and if you’re happy with this transition of power, you might want to take this opportunity to blow off some steam. If you really want to celebrate, why not prepare your favorite breakfast on the morning of Inauguration (if you have time, of course) and watch it with the whole family? FaceTime with family and friends? Make Joe and Kamala cupcakes?
As the day goes by, you might even want to turn the daytime joy into a true night out. When you watch the Celebrating America special, try drinking every time you hear the words heal, nation, unity, and / or love. Or, if you’re afraid you’ll run into these rules, come up with your own. Needless to say, if you’re worried about the prospect of a presidential change, this is your chance to celebrate before work begins.