United States President-elect Joe Biden has made clear that the presidential inauguration On January 20 will not be a “gigantic” ceremony, but something more like the Democratic convention, with a lot of virtual activity across the country and an emphasis on safety as America sees a daily surge in Covid-19 cases.
Biden said that he was expecting to be sworn in on January 20, with the stage being already constructed on the steps of the US Capitol. However, he plans to do away with the crowd that generally gathers on the National Mall along Pennsylvania Avenue to get a glimpse of the event and the parade.
“My guess is there probably will not be a gigantic inaugural parade on Pennsylvania Avenue, but my guess is you'll see a lot of virtual activity in states all across America engaging even more people than before. That's in train now and I'm not in a position to give you an example of exactly what it will look like,” Biden said, on being asked about the ceremony, during a press conference on Friday at Wilmington.
“But, I promise you, it'll be available either virtually or in-person for many and my guess is, there will still be a platform ceremony, but I don't know exactly how it's all going to work out. The key is keeping people safe,” he added.
The 78-year-old said that the ceremonies might end up looking like the democratic convention of August, with a lot of virtual activities.
“We are in discussion with the House leadership and the Senate leadership as to what they plan for the inauguration, particularly those 200,000 spots they control. But I think you're going to see something that's closer to what the convention was like than a typical inauguration,” the democrat said.
Biden also asserted that his first and foremost aim was to keep people safe, while also allowing them to celebrate and see others do the same.
“So, we're in consultation. My team is in consultation with folks who help us put on the convention, as well as with our colleagues, Republican, and Democratic colleagues, in charge of the inauguration,” the former vice president said.
