Goodykoontz: Inauguration will be apprehensive appointment television.
How to watch the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States on Wednesday?
Warily.
That’s a shame. But there’s just no way around it.
Even when Donald Trump was inaugurated four years ago, mostly we watched with interest. What would he say? Would he set a reasonable, measured course for the country? This was an august occasion, after all.
Well, no, he didn’t. Trump went all scorched-earth, setting the tone for his presidency.
So it was surprising but not shocking, then, given his rhetoric since he announced he was running.
All-day coverage of inauguration
Still, at that point — almost quaint, considering what’s come since — the inauguration was a story we watched unfold with interest, not with dread we felt in our bones.
We don’t have that luxury anymore. Forget fraudulent claims of a stolen election. This is one of the things that’s been stolen from us.
The insurrection of Jan. 6 — when Trump supporters, inspired by his words, stormed the U.S. Capitol — was the culmination of our fears, proof positive that spewing lies and hatred have actual tactile consequences.
So now what? How are we supposed to watch the “peaceful transfer of power” — a phrase that will be bandied about by television news enough Wednesday that you’d be wise not to build a drinking game around its use — and all the ceremony that goes with it without worrying about what else might happen?
It stinks.
Biden is set to take the oath of office at 10 a.m. Arizona time. Kamala Harris will be sworn in as vice president — genuine history, as the first woman and the first woman of color to hold the office.
Of course, coverage doesn’t start then. All the networks, broadcast and cable, will carry not just the swearing-in but the lead-up to it in lengthy pre-game shows. If you don’t like listening to TV news people talk at length about every possible aspect of the story, this is not your day.
This time, however, they might be worth watching. Swearing in a new president really is a big deal, no matter who it is. Now there is even more reason to watch, even if it’s through your fingers.
Inauguration Day ends with Hanks hosting ‘Celebrating America’
Wednesday night much of TV and social media will broadcast “Celebrating America,” the 90-minute special hosted by Tom Hanks that serves as a substitute for the usual inaugural balls and parties. Most cable and broadcast networks will air the special at either 6:30 or 7:30 p.m. Arizona time. Check your local listings for details.
It will be different, certainly. But so were the conventions and the debates and the concession speech … oh right. There wasn’t one. But as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage, we’re used to big changes in routine.
Because of the pandemic the inauguration would have looked different anyway. Huge crowds of packed-in people are not exactly recommended at the moment. Now, because of the events of Jan. 6, the entire National Mall will be closed in an attempt to heighten security.
Who knows what that will actually look like on TV Wednesday — a great big empty where we’re used to seeing assembled throngs. It sounds like something out of “I Am Legend” or some other post-apocalyptic story.
Maybe it is.
The FBI has warned of credible threats of violent protest not just in Washington, D.C., but also at state capitals. This, too, will be an ongoing part of news coverage, not just during the inauguration but before and after. And it will add to the tension of watching.
But then, how can we not watch? “We are watching history unfold,” Anderson Cooper said on CNN as Trump was impeached for the second time on Jan. 13. That was a Wednesday, too. We watched history unfold the Wednesday before, as the Capitol was attacked. And we’ll watch it unfold again this Wednesday, when Biden is sworn in.
Let’s hope that’s all the history we’ll see unfold.