BRET BAIER: Inauguration Day spotlights America's perpetual promise

On January 20, 2025, astatine noon, Donald J. Trump volition beryllium sworn in arsenic the 47th president of the United States. He volition beryllium lone the 2nd president to service non-consecutive terms, Grover Cleveland being the first. Cleveland’s destiny was the effect of buyer’s remorse from the public. First elected successful 1884, helium was defeated successful 1888 by Benjamin Harrison, whose economical policies turned retired to beryllium a disaster. Harrison was truthful anemic that Cleveland saw an accidental to regain the White House. He was re-elected successful 1892. 

On Monday, Trump volition repetition Cleveland’s uncommon enactment arsenic helium stands for inauguration connected 1 of the coldest days of the twelvemonth successful Washington, D.C. Trump announced that the ceremonial would beryllium moved indoors to the Capitol Rotunda, with unrecorded viewing for up to 20,000 astatine the Capital One Arena. Although implicit 200,000 radical person tickets for the inauguration, astir of them volition beryllium watching connected screens with the remainder of America. Harsh upwind has driven the ceremonies wrong connected lone a fistful of occasions, astir precocious for Ronald Reagan’s 2nd inauguration successful 1985, erstwhile the somesthesia was 7 degrees astatine noon.

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Inauguration Day is the show of a Constitutionally mandated ritual, our mode of keeping the committedness of ideology each 4 years. Its traditions, mostly devoid of politics, are beloved by the nationalist nary substance who is placing their manus connected the Bible. Every 4 years, this juncture is simply a celebratory acknowledgment of what unites us. Americans mostly acceptable speech their differences and absorption connected our enduring democracy. Hard feelings whitethorn linger from the election, but the inaugural solemnisation transcends those divisions, if lone for a day.

John F. Kennedy's inauguration code produced a memorable quote, portion President-elect Trump is preparing to instrumentality the oath for a 2nd time.

It begins successful the precocious greeting erstwhile it is contented for the incoming president and his spouse to beryllium hosted astatine the White House for beverage by the outgoing president and his spouse. The Bidens volition big the Trumps connected January 20. This tea, different illustration of the peaceful modulation of power, tin beryllium awkward erstwhile winners and losers travel unneurotic successful those last moments. The Trumps skipped it altogether successful 2021, but photos from assorted transitions amusement a batch of stiff smiles. Everyone studies the photos for assemblage connection clues, but the bottommost enactment is that it usually happens. Americans emotion to spot leaders from antithetic parties getting along, adjacent superficially. Note the explosive effect successful the property and connected societal media implicit Trump and Obama smiling and chatting astatine Jimmy Carter’s funeral. 

It is besides accepted for the outgoing and incoming presidents to thrust to the Capitol together. Trump and Obama rode unneurotic connected Trump’s archetypal inauguration time successful 2017. It is chartless whether Biden and Trump volition stock a car this time.

The inauguration ceremonial itself volition travel tradition, with each 4 surviving presidents—Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden present. Holding places of grant on with Cabinet appointees and high-ranking guests volition beryllium immoderate caller faces for this occasion—a postulation of the nation’s astir almighty tech leaders, including Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Tim Cook, and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew.

Everyone looks guardant to the inauguration speech, which sets the code for the caller administration. Over the centuries, signature lines person go memorable agelong aft a president has travel and gone. What makes a connection memorable is however good it reflects the enduring tone of America. For example, Thomas Jefferson’s declaration that "every quality of sentiment is not a quality of principle." Or Abraham Lincoln successful 1865, erstwhile the Civil War was successful its final, astir bloody period, offering this singular olive branch: "With malice toward none, with foundation for all, with firmness successful the close arsenic God gives america to spot the right, fto america strive connected to decorativeness the enactment we are in, to hindrance up the nation's wounds, to attraction for him who shall person borne the conflict and for his widow and his orphan, to bash each which whitethorn execute and cherish a conscionable and lasting bid among ourselves and with each nations."

Franklin Roosevelt stood earlier a federation shattered by the Great Depression and sought to instill a caller resoluteness with these words: "So, archetypal of all, fto maine asseverate my steadfast content that the lone happening we person to fearfulness is fearfulness itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified panic which paralyzes needed efforts to person retreat into advance." John F. Kennedy uttered what was possibly the astir celebrated inaugural enactment of all: "Ask not what your state tin bash for you, but what you tin bash for your country."

Tech leaders, including Elon Musk, Shou Zi Chew, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg are acceptable to be Trump's inauguration connected Monday.  (ETIENNE LAURENTBAY ISMOYOMARK RALSTONANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP/Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

In Reagan’s archetypal inaugural address, helium staked retired the guiding rule of American greatness successful the world: "Above all, we indispensable recognize that nary arsenal, oregon nary limb successful the arsenals of the world, is truthful formidable arsenic the volition and motivation courageousness of escaped men and women."  

Reports from the Trump modulation are that Trump volition acceptable an upbeat code for his 2nd inauguration, and if helium does that, helium volition person a affirmative nationalist response. On this hallowed day, Americans similar their leaders to talk astir what is right with America.

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After the ceremonial determination volition beryllium a parade, which has besides been moved to the Capital One Arena. The inaugural parade, which has been a customized since the earliest days of the nation, is an accidental to harvester solemnisation with a showcase of the champion of American life, with marching bands, floats and exhibits representing the states. American sacrifice and courageousness volition beryllium connected show with subject units, police, and occurrence departments. 

This year’s parade volition besides diagnostic the archetypal responders of Butler County, Pennsylvania, the determination of a July assassination effort connected Donald Trump. They volition wage homage to fallen Buffalo Township occurrence chief Corey Comperatore, who was changeable and killed that day. 

Finally, it is customary for the outgoing president to gaffe a idiosyncratic enactment to his successor into a drawer of the Oval Office desk. The contented began with Ronald Reagan, who near a idiosyncratic enactment for George H.W. Bush. Bush past did the aforesaid for Bill Clinton, writing, "Your occurrence present is our country’s success. I americium rooting hard for you."

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When President Trump entered the White House for his archetypal term, helium recovered a enactment written by Barack Obama: "Millions person placed their hopes successful you, and each of us, careless of party, should anticipation for expanded prosperity and information during your tenure." 

Trump near a enactment for Joe Biden successful 2021, which Biden said was "a precise generous letter." Now Joe Biden volition permission a enactment for Trump. And the large rhythm of American beingness continues.

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