Once the election was called for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in November, I texted my boss and told him I was taking January 20 off. He appreciated the couple of months notice.
I’ve never watched a presidential inauguration. I’ve been alive for Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump, and prior to Obama I was young and didn’t care about politics. In 2009, I very vaguely remember my world history teacher trying to get the inauguration to play on a computer in the classroom but it wasn’t working or it was super grainy. In 2013, I was in college and just didn’t watch it; in 2017, I had no plans to watch and I think I had a client meeting that day at work (at my old job).
So this time around, I knew I had to watch. My mom made a breakfast casserole and we drank a bunch of coffee. I had no plans to leave my couch for the entire day.
It felt like we experienced an entire year between November 11 and January 20. And as we learned, Wednesdays in January in the United States seem to be… eventful to say the least. Hopefully next Wednesday is really boring.
Thoughts from January 20, 2021
- Joe Biden is the first actor from Parks and Recreation to become president.
- It seemed like every single black Chevy SUV on the east coast was in Washington D.C.
- Hillary in a classic pantsuit.
- MICHELLE OBAMA
- MICHELLE OBAMA
- MICHELLE OBAMA
- Bernie Sanders looked like he had errands to run after the inauguration was over.
- And inadvertently became a meme.
- I loved Kamala Harris’s outfit, and I love Doug Emhoff as Second Gentleman. He’s such a hype man for Kamala.
- My two favorite JBs: Joe Biden and Jill Biden. (And I love that he calls her Jilly.)
- I may have teared up a bit when Kamala was sworn in.
- Boy, did it feel good when Joe was sworn in as president.
- JLo brought down the house, and I loved seeing A-Rod socializing with people.
- Garth Brooks basically said hi to every single person on his way off the stage.
- Amanda Gorman was AMAZING. AH-MAZING.
- I want a friendship like George W. Bush and Michelle Obama have.
- It was great to see Joe Biden signed those executive orders, and it was great to see Kamala Harris swear in three new Democratic senators, including the two Democrats from Georgia, Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff.
- The “Celebrating America” event during primetime was good and done very well, considering parts of it were live and parts were pre-recorded. I may or may not have cried during the fireworks at the end.
- It was really nice to finally see a big event that looks like what America looks like. How everyone at the inauguration was masked, seated feet apart, basically everything we’ve been doing since last March. The COVID memorial event on Tuesday night was also beautifully done and finally felt like the first time as a country we could mourn the 400,000 people who have died.
I think it’ll take me a few days to get used to the new administration (and stop doom watching MSNBC), but I’m looking forward to what they can accomplish. Neither Biden or Harris are perfect or can wave a magic wand to fix everything, but they are two decent people who I believe really care about Americans.
(But I’m mostly excited that dogs are finally back in the White House!!!)
Strikeouts + Sprinkles 
I didn’t watch anything live but I did enough meme reading and article reading and clip watching after to say that I agree with EVERYTHING here! So happy, even as a non-American, that you have a new leader and I hope that he is able to start guiding some healing!
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I watched parts of Clinton’s and Obama’s but not Bush or that other guy, but I only watched the swearing in and not all the other stuff. This time I was like you and streamed the whole thing, although I missed some parts when I was taking the dog for a walk and taking a shower. I missed the former President’s entrances although I did see them in the crowd. You didn’t mention Lady Gaga. She did not impress? I started tearing up the minute Senator Amy Klobushar started speaking and cried on and off until the fireworks, which were fantastic. I loved watching the Biden family watching from the White House balcony. The site of all of them at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was very moving too.
I was watching the press briefing this afternoon (something that I have never done before but something that I’d like to try and see although I’m not sure I can watch every day) and one of the reporters asked Jen Psaki why, since one of Biden’s first orders was about mask wearing on Federal property, why he wasn’t wearing one last night at the Lincoln Memorial? I wanted to jump through the screen and slap the guy. Come on buddy, get real. He was alone, or with his family and not like he was holding some super spreader event in the Rose Garden for goodness sake! They really have their work cut out for them. I feel more hope than I’ve felt in four years though.
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OMG I’m so ashamed I forgot about Lady Gaga 🤦🏻♀️ She was amazing, too. I also loved watching the Bidens watching from the balcony! I’m disappointed they couldn’t have any of the balls and parties but I totally supported them following correct COVID protocols to keep everyone safe.
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I didn’t know JLo was going to be there and at one point I was watching and thought, is that A-Rod??? Nahh can’t be him. Why would he be there? And then she showed up and I realized it was him after all. Michelle Obama and Amanda Gorman stole the show, though.
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I love seeing A-Rod at random events that aren’t baseball-related. Perks of being with JLo I guess. I still can’t get over Michelle’s outfit, and Amanda Gorman was AMAZING.
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I think any sensible person is super happy that the orange man is out of the White House – what a lunatic. Good luck to the new president and vice president who have to clean up the mess. Anyway, I loved your post 🙂
All the best, Michelle (michellesclutterbox.com)
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Yes!!! I had meetings during most of it so I watched the whole inauguration later that night and cried so much. It seems silly because we still have so much work to do as a country but I feel better knowing that we are finally heading in the right direction! Every time I see Kamala Harris getting sworn in I tear up. It’s such an amazing moment in history!
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I agree that we have a ton of work to do, but I feel better having Biden and Harris leading the country and getting us out of this pandemic.
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100% agree!
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