2024 - A Blank Canvas (user search)

January 20, 2025 - The 60th Presidential Inauguration

It's a busy day in Washington, on a Monday unlike any other, as millions descend upon the nation's capital to witness history in the making as Ron DeSantis is sworn in as the 47th President of the United States. All of the living former Presidents, save for the very aged Jimmy Carter, and their spouses are in attendance. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is standing shoulder to shoulder with the military bands and choirs, and dozens of marching bands from every state, territory and the District of Columbia, but with a good chunk of them from Florida and to a lesser extent South Carolina, are prepared to march up Pennsylvania Avenue on what also happens to be Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in America. The cherry blossoms may have not bloomed yet, and the site of what used to be RFK Stadium east of the Capitol still remains a patch of soil awaiting redevelopment, the Commanders (and Redskins of yore) having decided to settle in Virginia, but it's still a beautiful sight on the National Mall as noon approaches in Washington...

Source: Wikimedia Commons
Author: IowaPolitics.com

The night before was filled with a number of inaugural festivities, not the least of which were an inaugural concert featuring a number of mostly country and classic rock acts, not unlike the sort of ceremonies that past Republican presidents had, a diplomats' luncheon where foreign dignitaries and ambassadors were introduced to the incoming administration, and a number of other events including a youth concert, various TV specials, and other events of relevance to the festivities commenced...

But now it was Monday, and two months and a half after the Empire State Building in New York City lit red for Ron DeSantis and the Republican Party, the 60th Presidential Inauguration is about to take place as Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina commenced the ceremony with remarks filled with patriotism and stories embodying "the American Spirit". After Sen. Chris Van Hollen gave his own remarks to the nearly 2 million in attendance, he asks the entire audience to stand as the former Presidents, President Biden and Ron DeSantis, among others, enter the gallery on the West Front of the Capitol...

Moments later, Nikki Haley takes her oath with Justice Clarence Thomas holding the Bible...

JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS: Madame Vice President, would you place your left hand on the Bible and raise your right hand and repeat after me? I, Nimrata Nikki Haley...

NIKKI HALEY: I, Nimrata Nikki Haley...

JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS: Do solemnly swear that I will support and defend...

NIKKI HALEY: Do solemnly swear that I will support and defend...

JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS: The Constitution of the United States...

NIKKI HALEY: The Constitution of the United States...

JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS: Against all enemies foreign and domestic...

NIKKI HALEY: Against all enemies foreign and domestic...

JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS: That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same...

NIKKI HALEY: That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same...

JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS: That I take this obligation freely...

NIKKI HALEY: That I take this obligation freely...

JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS: Without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion...

NIKKI HALEY: Without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion...

JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS: And that I will well and faithfully discharge...

NIKKI HALEY: And that I will well and faithfully discharge...

JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS: The duties of the office on which I'm about to enter...

NIKKI HALEY: The duties of the office on which I'm about to enter...

JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS: So help you God.

NIKKI HALEY: So help me God.

JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS: Congratulations and God bless you, Madame Vice President.

After South Carolina's Darius Rucker performs "America the Beautiful" with an acoustic guitar as the only other element of sound, Chief Justice John Roberts swears in the 47th President of the United States...

JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS: Mr. President, please raise your right hand and repeat after me. I, Ronald Dion DeSantis, do solemnly swear...

RON DeSANTIS: I, Ronald Dion DeSantis, do solemnly swear...

JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS: That I will faithfully execute...

RON DeSANTIS: That I will faithfully execute...

JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS: The office of President of the United States...

RON DeSANTIS: The office of President of the United States...

JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS: And will, to the best of my ability...

RON DeSANTIS: And will, to the best of my ability...

JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS: Preserve, protect and defend...

RON DeSANTIS: Preserve, protect and defend...

JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS: The Constitution of the United States...

RON DeSANTIS: The Constitution of the United States...

JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS: So help you God.

RON DeSANTIS: So help me God.

JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS: Congratulations, Mr. President.

After being sworn in as the 47th President of the United States, Ron DeSantis takes his place in history as the first Italian-American President of the United States. Among the excerpts of his inaugural speech...

"Today is a monumental day for our country, a New Day for America, one of great opportunity and even greater promise. A day for all of us to take a stand and deliver on what unites us, by the principles and values that we share deeply as a nation..."

"The last four years have been one of uncharted struggle, as we struggled to navigate through a pandemic that everyone thought would be the end of humanity. Except the course it took us on didn't exactly work the way everyone hoped it would..."

"We are facing a deep and unsustainable hole in our federal budget, with a federal government that seemingly takes on more and more of the responsibilities we used to take for granted, while ordinary Americans are the ones constantly being forced to sacrifice against their will. This is why getting our out-of-control national debt in check matters, because when we've gone from $6 billion in debt on September 11th, 2001 to over $33 trillion today, something ain't right..."

"No one should be forced to sacrifice to make others - especially those whose ideals don't reflect what America should be - happy, even in situations where the sacrifice has nothing to do with protecting our freedoms and our shared patchwork quilt by which the contents of our character is paramount, when you have the few among us living it up beyond the means of everyone else..."

"No one should be forced into government-controlled poverty when they crave opportunity and the free market. No child should be forced to choose between having no opportunities and being subjected to uncomfortable situations. No seniors should be forced to choose between medicine and choosing their own doctor. No family should be forced to sacrifice against their will when government elites are holding them hostage..."

"When America looks forward more to the size of their welfare check or forces their kid to choose between an academic program or sport that brings happiness to them and their friends, when our own leaders continue to reward undeserving so-called reality TV drama queens instead of successful people with money and jobs, spouses and kids, cars and kids and pets - basically the American dream we must strive for at any cost without handing the reins to the government, that tells you where America has gone wrong..."

"While others sought to force government on the people, as Governor of Florida I sought to maximize freedom for everyone. That's why Florida has become the 'shining state on a hill'."

"As President of this great nation, it's time for the adults to be put back in charge again, and reward those who deserve to make it in this world..."

"It's time to start rewarding Americans who deserve to pursue the American Dream unconditionally and without any reservation. That doesn't mean children should disrespect their parents, but when government forces parents to drive a hard bargain, you know America has failed its citizens..."

"It's time to start rewarding entrepreneurs who want to unleash the American Dream, and rebuild our infrastructure into the greatest the world has ever seen. Real infrastructure. Not payoffs to favored parties, but solutions to get Americans to work and play without any effort..."

"It's time to unleash opportunity for millions of Americans, make America energy independent again from oil and gas and coal to nuclear and hydro and solar, stop letting China dictate to us how to live our lives, and start taking control of our national debt before it kills us..."

"It's time to create a justice system that protects and serves our country, instead of protecting from ourselves. One that respects law enforcement doing their best to fight crime, while at the same time delivering real justice for actual victims of crime, without overcrowding our prisons with minor offenders, and without letting the FBI abuse the constitutional and privacy rights of our fellow Americans..."

"It's time to rebuild and strenghten our military into a well-oiled, lean, mean machine. One committed to defending our country against all enemies foreign and domestic who hate our freedoms. Not one mired deep in woke programming that serves no one except those who wouldn't even pass a physical or mental fitness test, nor one beholden to the whims of predatory defense contractors and lobbyists who seek big payouts while our active duty military and veterans are left to languish in hospitals with substandard care..."

"It's time to bring our border under control, finish the wall that Donald Trump promised to finish, use the latest technology to further enhance our border security, and finally clear the air when it comes to those who desire to become U.S. citizens, including those Dreamers who only know America and have contributed and paid their dues in society. The difference between my predecessor and I will be clear: not a free-for-all even for those who haven't put in their dues, but a deserving pathway to citizenship for those work hard to strive and contribute to the national conversation."

"It's time to create a culture of life that respects all life from first conception to the last breath, create pathways to reduce abortions, increase adoptions and improve the quality of life for mothers, fathers and children, and build a second-to-none healthcare system where you keep your doctor and the coverage is the same high-quality, low-cost coverage that we get as President and members of Congress..."

"They all say that sunshine is the best medicine, and for four years sunshine has been hard to come by. But as your new President, sunshine is going to be abundant, and ethical and transformative leadership that respects our principles and respects our traditions is what I will fight for..."

"Lastly, on this great day - 36 years to the day that George Herbert Walker Bush called for a thousand points of light to serve our country's greater good - and on a momentous day for this country named for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - I am calling today for a National Day of Service and Opportunity to our country, working to fill the gaps in underserved communities where these little points of light are going to shine for the millions who need it..."

"I am more than honored to be your President, and together we are going to create a culture that truly stands for our shared national fabric, defend our communities from peril, and work to rebuild communities that have suffered for too long. Because your life matters..."

"We are going to build a strong economy with opportunities for everyone, whether you're a college grad, have a trade certification, are in the military or even if you're just out of high school, in an economy with good wages, high standards and a no-nonsense work climate that puts America first. Because your future matters..."

"Our country is going to be strong again in the world, showcasing peace through strength instead of the dangerous extremes of wokeness and empire-building that neither secures our country nor strikes fear in our enemies. Because your country matters..."

"Together, we are going to do great things to bring America's new golden age to reality and stand by our Constitution, for prosperity at home, peace abroad, and liberty and justice for all. Because freedom matters!"

"Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. God Bless You! And God may Bless our Beautiful America!"

After the customary playing of "Hail to the Chief", benedictions from several dignitaries including Franklin Graham, the standard 21-gun salute and Enrique Iglesias - who lives in Miami - performing "The Star-Spangled Banner", President Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis walked across the Capitol as they escorted now-former President Joe Biden and former First Lady Dr. Jill Biden to the East Front of the Capitol where a limousine is waiting to take the Bidens to Union Station, hopping onboard Amtrak's Acela train - the very same train Biden commuted to Washington on for decades - back to Wilmington, Delaware, at the very same train station now bearing his name to begin his post-presidential career and sunset years, while Nikki Haley and Michael Haley wished Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff well on their quick helicopter ride to Joint Base Andrews and eventual Air Force Two flight back home to San Francisco and eventually their new home in Montecito, outside Santa Barbara...

President DeSantis returned to the Capitol and entered the President's Room to officially submit his Cabinet and other picks to the Senate for confirmation along with declaring his inauguration a "National Day of Restoration and Greater Opportunity". After he and Casey signed the first signatures on the guest book for the President's Luncheon in the Capitol's National Statuary Hall, they embarked upon a delectable three-course meal, which included selections of relevance to DeSantis's home state of Florida including an inspired version of Key Lime Pie, along with plenty of standing ovations and bursts of humorous roasts, at their President's Luncheon. DeSantis, Haley and their spouses finally embarked on an inaugural parade, alongside high school and college marching bands, horse troupes, first responders, veterans and other groups of people, up Pennsylvania Avenue NW from the Capitol all the way to the White House, packed with thousands of onlookers and hundreds of security personnel and military stationed throughout to protect the new President and Vice President from potential threats, as they proceed to walk the entire course of Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House.

Upon reaching the Oval Office, the new White House website already intact for a few hours, President DeSantis proceeded to sign his first set of executive orders - including a mandatory repeal of whatever COVID-19 restrictions remain on the books at the federal level and mandate for state and local governments to follow suit, the restoration of the cancelled Keystone XL pipeline proposal, the restoration of the Mexico City Policy banning the use of NGO funding for abortions outside of the United States, the repeal of automotive emissions mandates imposed by the Biden administration, and the restoration of travel restrictions for foreign countries viewed as "national security threats" including Iran, North Korea and Afghanistan, among other executive orders, in addition to also officially submitting his Cabinet and other picks to the Senate for confirmation along with declaring his inauguration a "National Day of Restoration and Greater Opportunity". (The Biden administration, of course, ended its presidency with a series of pardons for various minor criminal offenders, along with a few notable controversial commuted sentences...)

Lastly, the day of celebration concluded with a multitude of inaugural balls including the "Freedom Ball" where the DeSantises danced the night away to the sounds of jazz standards and rock classics, a youth ball with young conservative professionals and DeSantis campaign staffers not wanting the FOMO factor when it comes to their new President, and an Armed Services Ball where military and first responders capped off a celebratory night with the new President. They will be attending a national day of prayer at the Washington National Cathedral tomorrow morning, with a Catholic bishop and Protestant minister, a Jewish cantor and Muslim imam (among other religious dignitaries) presenting calls to prayer.

As a historic first day in Washington concluded, Ron DeSantis spoke to Casey in the President's Bedroom on the second floor of the White House:

"You know Casey, I never imagined I would have dreamt of being anything beyond being a baseball player when I was growing up back in Dunedin, but then again I don't think anyone thought they'd end up either. But here we are, under the moonlight on the Potomac, ready to enjoy the best years of our life. I am honored to be the President of the United States, but it will never top being the love of your life, and together - God willing - we are going to fill that blank canvas beyond our wildest imaginations. I love you my dear Casey, and we are going to see those happy little trees come to life", President DeSantis spoke to his wife in the President's Bedroom as the two kissed each other goodnight, their three kids already tucked in bed at the White House for the first time ever, and dimmed the lights as Washington shut down for another night, waiting for the sun to rise over the Potomac..."

EPILOGUE

As Ron DeSantis fulfills his duties as the 47th President of the United States and Nikki Haley takes over as Vice President, former President Joe Biden returned to his beloved Delaware to begin his golden years and write his presidential memoirs, reflecting on a life of public service well-lived as an icon of sorts in the Democratic Party, one who never strayed from his long-standing goal of defending the "soul of the nation".

Former Vice President Kamala Harris returned to California and settled in her new estate in Montecito, where her first few days are spent entertaining celebrities and other guests in private, with an interview from fellow Montecito resident and talk show legend Oprah Winfrey waiting in the wings. Her vice presidential running mate, Sen. Gary Peters, returns to serving the people of Michigan in the Senate as he gears up for a likely intense 2026 Senate reelection bid.

Former Vice President Mike Pence returned to his home north of Indianapolis, where he and his wife Karen also begin to embark upon retirement once again, with Pence now serving as an elder statesmen amongst Republicans and his state suddenly now led by a Democrat, Tom McDermott.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren returns to the U.S. Senate to begin her role as a progressive "thorn in the side" of the new DeSantis administration, vowing a series of "probing" and "intense" congressional hearings for all of DeSantis's incoming picks.

Likewise, Sens. Tom Cotton, Marco Rubio and Ben Sasse return to the Senate to continue service to their states in the "world's most exclusive club", as Sasse awaits confirmation as Secretary of Education. Their former colleague, former Sen. Ted Cruz, temporarily takes up residence in a Washington hotel suite awaiting his confirmation as Attorney General - likely to be the most explosive of all the nominees.

Former Sen. Amy Klobuchar returned home to Minnesota earlier in January with an "open arms" welcome in Minneapolis, but it remains unclear what her future holds, including whether or not to pursue a run for Governor in 2026 should incumbent DFL Gov. Tim Walz not pursue a run.

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo returned home to Kansas as he continues to do speaking engagements on foreign policy matters, in addition to appearances on Fox News and a new book outlining his hopes and visions for what American foreign policy should look like going forward.

Former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg goes back to private life with his husband Chasten in Traverse City, Michigan, where the latter's parents reside and help out with childcare for their adopted twins. He plans to embark on a speaking tour with former late-night host David Letterman and his sidekick, Paul Shaffer, as potential guests.

As is the case with Pompeo, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie returns to ABC News as a political commentator, and is also set to become the lead guest host on This Week with George Stephanopoulos, in a move that some argue "cancels out" Stephanopoulos's Democratic bona fides.

Gov. Jared Polis returns to Colorado and his duties as Governor of the Centennial State, where he is term-limited in 2026 and speculation of a 2028 presidential run lingers on the horizon. A Senate run is virtually off the table, given his closeness and similarities to his predecessor as Governor, current Sen. John Hickenlooper, who is up for reelection that year.

Former Gov. Larry Hogan retires to his residence in Davidsonville, Maryland - outside Annapolis, where Hogan returns to post-government life and is working on a new book aimed at "creating a political climate that unites all Americans regardless of political stripes". He has announced plans to devote his political activism to "broad electoral and policy reform where both sides of the aisle stand to benefit", with an emphasis on empowering first responders and military.

Former Gov. Roy Cooper retires to his post-gubernatorial residence in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina, where Cooper and his family plan to spend more time together as the 67-year-old former Governor begins his tenure as a CNN contributor aimed at providing "a Southern Democrat perspective on politics sorely missing in our political lexicon".

Conservative commentator Candace Owens returns to Tennessee to spend more time with her young family in Nashville, returning to her work as a commentator and host on Ben Shapiro's Daily Wire and continuing to advocate for her Blexit movement, including a new book coming out on "the emerging Black Republican majority".

Former Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo returns to Rhode Island and joins a number of corporate boards where her expertise on business matters dating back to her pre-government days up to her work in the Biden administration is being sought to whichever degree possible. She also has become an ambassador of sorts to Biden administration alumni, seeking to consult future Democratic candidates looking to pursue public service from a socially liberal, economically left-of-center perspective.

After his quixotic Constitutional Party run, Mike Lindell returns to his company in Minnesota, MyPillow, which is now run by his four children and has recently expanded to include a number of new products over the years, including the newest items: MyShed and MySheShed, primarily advertising on Fox News and Newsmax, but also on direct response commercials across various television and streaming platforms. And while Lindell is no longer directly running the company, he remains as a consultant and Chairman of the Board as he works on his newest entrepreneurial pipe dream: MyHouse, aiming to replicate the old-school Craftsman House experience of over a century ago. Whether or not it succeeds, time will tell. As for the political world, let's just say - literally - his ambitions are way out there...

FINAL WORDS FROM THE AUTHOR:

It has been my joy, and one of immense personal sacrifice both from a time and financial perspective, to provide everyone with a detailed, comprehensive and relevant timeline of what could potentially be in our political horizons going forward. As always, I do not expect all of these predictions to come true - who even thinks like that anyway?, but it does not hurt to speculate what the future could be, could have been and can be. Because for me, it has been therapy in the face of the everyday personal struggles and triumphs I face, just like every other American, and I hope each and every one for you enjoyed this wonderful timeline.

I am grateful to President Stanton, 2016 and others who enjoyed this little piece of my mind over the length of a pregnancy and then some, and look forward to consulting with them on a timeline that they have chosen to continue that most likely will be completely - as they call it on this forum - retconned. And in real life, it has motivated me to get more involved than before, if I haven't already, in the time-honored political process that shapes our worldview as American citizens, and I look forward to seeing you sometime in the future as I focus on spending more time with my wonderful family and staying active in our public discourse back home in Fort Bend County, Texas - the Heart of the New America!

God bless you all, and may God bless our wonderful republic of a Nation that we all dearly love.

Best regards,
SaintStan86

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