R to L: Joe Biden, Jill Biden, Kamala Harris, and Doug Emhoff at a Coronavirus memorial ceremony outside the Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC, January 19, 2021


UPDATE, JAN 21:

David Dunn of EA and the University of Birmingham spoke with BBC West Midlands on Wednesday morning about the significance of the Biden inauguration, following the Capitol attack instigated by Donald Trump.

Listen to Discussion from 13:14


ORIGINAL ENTRY: On the day of Joe Biden’s inauguration as 46th US President, I join Monocle 24’s Emma North to look at the incoming Administration and at the prospects for the outgoing Donald Trump.

The other analyst is Tomos Lewis, Monocle 24’s Washington correspondent

Listen from 2:04:

The discussion begins with an explanation of why, despite the restrictions forced by Coronavirus and security, today is an important “event” for America.

An event is more than the flags, although there are more than 200,000 on The Mall as tribute to the Americans who would normally stand there. It’s more than the speech. It’s more than an impressive lineup of celebrities.

It is a setting of tone for what needs to come next in America.

We address the danger of a focus on a mythical “Trump base”, feeding “the default position of division”, as Trump leaves office with the lowest approval rating of any outgoing President in recent US history.

Not just with Biden, but with all those officials around Biden, with the emphasis on competence and responsibility you get beyond the media narrative that “the Trumpists will always bring America down”.

We conclude with a review of Trump’s pardons and commutations to consider if they are part of his project for a Trumpist political movement.

Biden at Coronavirus Memorial Service: “To Heal We Must Remember”
See also A Trumpist Party? Trump Pardons Strategist Bannon, Top Fundraiser Broidy, Ex-GOP Representatives