'QUIET DIGNITY OF PRESIDENT BIDEN'

Watershed moment for America

THE UNIFYING TONE of President Joe Biden’s inaugural address marked a watershed for the United States following the Donald Trump-inspired insurrection of a fortnight ago – and subsequent impeachment of a shameless former president who had become such a destabilising force.

Spoken with calm authority on the west side of the wind-swept Capitol Building in Washington near where five people were killed in an attack on “democracy and truth”, it came on a day of history as the groundbreaking Kamala Harris was sworn in as vice president.

No stranger to political and personal adversity, the new president’s eloquent and humbling recognition of America’s “winter of peril and significant possibilities” contrasted with the brash insularity of President Trump’s ‘‘make America great’’ speech of 2017.

But that was not the historic address that President Biden, 78, dreamt of delivering during a distinguished lifetime of service. There was no formal handover of power after his predecessor skedaddled from office, defying convention and civility to the end. A massive military operation protected dignitaries. And the Covid pandemic meant the heavily-guarded national mall was a field of flags, devoid of all of the wellwishers who normally witness the transition of power and celebrate democracy in action.

Inevitably, President Biden’s first 100 days in office will be dominated by the pandemic as America’s death toll passes 400,000 people – and the wearing of face masks reflected this. It’s clear he also wants the USA to take the world lead on climate change – and he’ll find common cause on this with Boris Johnson. But it will also be an achievement if he’s able, in these key early weeks, to restore some quiet dignity to the White House after a profound day of renewal and reconciliation which saw democracy and decency prevail.