One For The History Books

Records tumbled on the day Joe Biden was sworn in as president of a country at war with itself

- Dennis Cavernelis

It was always going to be a different kind of ceremony – absent of throng­ ing crowds, dignitaries in masks, chairs placed at strategic distances for those who were there.

But that didn’t mean the day was any less memorable. Under a clear but icy Washington, DC, sky the inaugura­tion of Joe Biden as 46th president of the United States was a day of many firsts, a day when promises of unity and healing ran like a thread throughout the pro­ ceedings, a day when stars were made and unlikely heroes rose to the occasion.

Records tumbled left, right and centre.

At 78, Biden is the oldest president in US history – a whole eight years older than his predecessor, Donald Trump, was when he took office four years ago.

His wife, Jill Biden, is the first first lady to hold a doctorate.

Kamala Harris is the first woman and the first person of colour to become vice president. She was sworn in by Judge Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic per­ son to be appointed to the US Supreme Court.

Kamala’s husband, Doug Emhoff, is the nation’s first second gentleman. He’s also the first Jewish spouse of a president or vice president.

Trump is the first outgoing president to snub the inauguration of his successor since Andrew Johnson in 1869.

Outgoing vice president Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, graciously handed over to Harris and Emhoffon the steps of the Capitol but Trump and outgoing first lady Melania were kilometres away, having left Washington for Florida earli­ er in the day.