Political News: Biden To Get Presidential Escort To White House

While Joe Biden may not get a traditional inaugural parade as he takes oath at the office, he will get a presidential escort to the White House. The Presidential Inaugural Committee made the announcement on Sunday that Biden and incoming first lady Jill Biden will forgo the traditional inaugural parade on Jan 20.

Political News: Biden To Get Presidential Escort To White House

After the swearing-in ceremony on the West Front of the Capitol, the presidential escort will move to the White House. The escort will include representatives of every branch of the military, including a Joint Service Honor Guard, US Army Band, and the Commander in Chief’s Guard. The planners are making suitable arrangements keeping in mind the safety guidelines during the coronavirus pandemic.

By removing the traditional inaugural parade, large crowds can be easily avoided, and this will help the authorities to keep everyone safe during the pandemic. On the other hand, a virtual parade will be televised for the audience. It will have performances in communities across the country, and it aims to celebrate the heroes of America and highlight the prominent people from different states and regions. Apart from that, the parade will also reflect on the diverse heritage and resilience of the country.

The inaugural planners said that the participants for the virtual parade would be announced shortly. The participants include local bands, dance troupes, poets, musical acts, and others paying homage to the heroes of the nation who worked on the frontline during the pandemic.

The committee’s executive director, Maju Varghese, said that apart from keeping people safe during this coronavirus pandemic, the innovative programming will also bring Americans from rural towns and urban cities together for the event. The inaugural committee said that participants would follow health and safety protocols along with social distancing during the events.

When compared to the previous events, the 59th inaugural ceremony will be smaller due to the health risks associated with the covid 19 pandemic. After taking the oath of office on the Capitol’s West Front, Biden is likely to deliver the inaugural address that will talk about his vision to handle the pandemic and revive the economy. Apart from that, he is also likely to stress on bringing back the country together as he often mentioned healing the nation in these difficult times.

The authorities have asked Americans to avoid traveling to Washington for the event and instead participate virtually in the celebrations. While members of Congress used to receive around 200,000 tickets to distribute in their constituency earlier, it has been restricted to just two tickets this year for the members.

The inaugural committee expects just over a couple of thousand people at the event. The organizers said that everyone is participating virtually in the event to stay healthy and comfortable during the pandemic situation. After the swearing-in, Biden and Harris, along with their spouses, will participate in the “Pass in Review” with the members of the military. This reflects the age-old tradition of transferring the power to a new commander-in-chief.

Interestingly, Donald Trump is not expected to turn up at the inauguration. Many organizers felt that they would be pleasantly surprised if Trump attended the event. The preparations are in full swing even as the fight to overturn the election results continues from the Trump camp. Several pro-Trump organizations are planning to hold protests on Jan 6 in Washington to put pressure on Republicans to challenge the certification process. However, nothing much is expected to change according to political analysts who are keenly watching the situation for many months. The inaugural event will be organized according to the covid guidelines to avoid large crowds.