Joe Biden presidential inauguration megathread

[Crumpets]

Do we know who the Designated Survivor will be? Last time it was Orrin Hatch as prez pro tem, but Grassley loses the position once Harris is sworn in as VP. In 2009, it was  Robert Gates as Defense secretary, whom Obama retained from W. This time, Nancy Pelosi would make most sense.

I would assume this isn't announced in advance.

Although announcing Pelosi would become President in the event of an attack would help dissuade pretty much all would-be attackers.

[Crumpets]

Melania's dress looks like the backdrop to a 70s game show.

[Crumpets]

Fun fact: the Battle of Fort McHenry that the Star Spangled Banner is about took place about three weeks after the last time the Capitol Building was occupied by a hostile force.

[Crumpets]

Yeah! This Land and America the Beautiful! The two "true" national anthems in my heart.

[Crumpets]

Woah, we're early!

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Congratulations Mr. President!

Also that Bible looks amazing. I might read my family's Bible more often if it looked like that.

[Crumpets]

Well, you can say you don't believe him or trust him, but you cannot say this is not a whole-hearted embracing of the "call for unity" everyone is clamoring for.

[Crumpets]

if you search "who is president' it shows trump.

Sounds like Google needs to go in for concussion protocol. :/

[Crumpets]

It's already hitting me (as someone who is planning to try to get a job in DC after I'm done with school) that the government is actually going back to having (some) standards and isn't just selling (all) positions to the highest bidder or who can look most loyal during the interview. I have to actually try now!

[Crumpets]

I'm pretty sure the painting Roy Blunt is talking about that Jill Biden picked out is one that I saw with some Atlasians when we did a meetup at the Smithsonian American Art Museum a couple years ago.

[Crumpets]

https://twitter.com/AlienJesus123/status/1351928471946194949

[Crumpets]

Any update on Harris, Padilla, Ossoff, and Warnock?

The Senate will convene at 4:30 EST and they’ll be sworn in.

The Senate is convening now to swear them in.

[Crumpets]

Sex is great, but have you ever looked at the wikipedia page for the United States?

Random observation:

President - Catholic
Vice President - Baptist
Speaker of the House - Catholic
President Pro Tempore of the Senate - Catholic
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court - Catholic

Guess that makes Harris the savior of Protestant America?

[Crumpets]

Pat Leahy just sworn in as PpTOTSOTUS.

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https://twitter.com/bradheath/status/1352014726641938446

[Crumpets]

https://twitter.com/Yamazuya/status/1351934546674143233

[Crumpets]

It sounds like it's officially fireworks o'clock outside here too.

[Crumpets]

One thing I noticed watching the inauguration yesterday was how pervasively religious the whole thing was, in a nonsectarian kind of way; at points it felt like Biden was getting installed as a high priest of some sort, with the wreath-laying at Arlington as a quasi-sacrificial offering. Biden may or may not be a very good Catholic, but he's clearly a true believer in American civil religion, and that's honestly a relief at this point compared to the constant nothing-sacred impieties of his narcissist predecessor.

I think he is a 'good Catholic', in a septuagenarian Catholic way. Which probably is quite alien to post-war boomer Catholicism, both liberal and traditional, certainly in how it's been 'performed' in the political-public sphere since it became sufficiently 'American' enough to do so.

Yes; I know someone from a very Biden-like Northeastern Irish Catholic background and she's told me many times that he reminds her intensely of her Silent Generation grandparents. And based on what I remember of my Baltimore Irish step-grandparents, I concur.

Well I bought whisky and Michael shed a few tears. Gaga was exceptional J-Lo turned it out and, Michelle's and Hillary's outfits were en pointe.

Wasn't she? I absolutely loved her outfit and hair especially.

Biden is the first (and only) President of the Silent Generation.

Also the first president born under FDR, even though FDR was the longest-serving president.

[Crumpets]

There's some weird alternate reality out there where it is still Joe Biden getting inaugurated this week, but it's after eight years of President Romney.