“We do not distrust the future of essential democracy,” Franklin Roosevelt had said in his 1933 inaugural, when democracy was very much in doubt, though for different reasons than it had been in the past few years. The distrust lifted this morning, not coincidentally as that 747 lifted off from Joint Base Andrews, heading, unfortunately for us, to Florida. We can trust in this experiment again, with a man made for the moment as its president.
Joe Biden’s words reflected the character of the most unaffected president since Harry Truman. He was in his element, the first-person singular as absent from his speech as it had been the relentless badgering of the last four years, when it displaced everything from empathy to grace to national purpose. “I must put the interest of America first,” words spoken even by Richard Nixon on his last day in the White House, were as foreign to the last president as his promiscuous treacheries in defense of his dominion.
That’s what we had missed these four years: the American we, that invocation of unity Biden called “the most elusive of all things in a democracy.” Elusive, but no less imperative, “if only we’re brave enough to see it,” in the poet laureate’s penultimate verse. If Biden invoked the first person, it was always in service of national purpose at a time comparable only with 1933. I’d expected the Biden speech to have a few things in common with FDR’s first inaugural in March 1933, and it was, in form and content, though Biden’s was far less martial than FDR’s, who made allusions to a war on the Depression at least five times in his speech. The last thing we need now is more language of war.
Neither men wasted time on formalities to get to the heart of the matter in their very first lines. Democracy itself was in peril in 1933 as it was in the last few years, though the culprits in 1933 were the speculators and financial overlords whose “callous and selfish wrongdoing,” as FDR called it, had crashed the nation’s economic power. So had lies, then as now. We remember the 1933 inaugural for one of the most famous phrases in the American liturgy: “The only thing we have to fear is–fear itself.” But it was the following clauses that put the line in its proper context: “nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory.”
By 1933 the American people had been lied to for years, not with the malice and ferocity of the last four, but with that indulgence for a mythical and reckless faith in a bankrupt system that allowed Herbert Hoover to say even after the crash of ‘29 that “the fundamental business of the country… is on a sound and prosperous basis” (words George W. Bush would repeat almost word for word in 2008 as the economy was collapsing: “our economy is structurally sound.”) There’s been many lies about the economy in recent years, but the crisis was more political as the democratic foundations frayed from the weight of fabrications and fascist tactics.
“We must reject the culture in which facts themselves are manipulated and even manufactured,” Biden said, returning to the theme later in the speech with some of the more important words of this inaugural: “Recent weeks and months have taught us a painful lesson. There is truth and there are lies, lies told for power and for profit. And each of us has a duty and responsibility, as citizens, as Americans, and especially as leaders, leaders who have pledged to honor our Constitution and protect our nation, to defend the truth and defeat the lies.”
Biden standing where he stood was a victory to that end, but an incomplete one in a country where 72 million people might still find succor in the language of “American carnage” spoken just four years ago where Biden stood. Biden took a moment of silence for the real carnage of the last four years–the last one year, actually: the 400,000 Americans, a fifth of the world’s total, lost to covid. Many of them, perhaps a majority, were needlessly lost to the sleaze and incompetence of the administration just ended.
In 1933 FDR had appealed to “the policy of the good neighbor,” calling for “this great army of our people dedicated to a disciplined attack upon our common problems.” Biden, one of whose speechwriters is the historian Jon Meacham (The Soul of America, American Gospel, Franklin and Winston), made a similar appeal, adapted to the age of shout-show and social media vitriol: “We must end this uncivil war that pits red against blue, rural versus urban, conservative versus liberal. We can do this if we open our souls instead of hardening our hearts.” When he said his “whole soul is in this” after invoking Lincoln, I thought he was going to refer to defeating the pandemic. But no. He was referring to unity. Just as well. The pandemic won’t be defeated with disunion.
There was a silencing of ideology in the Biden speech, if not of partisanship. It’s not unusual in inaugurals ever since Jefferson’s famous “We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists,” also in a year when most had doubted the republic would see a peaceful transfer of power. The ideal doesn’t usually last. George W. Bush had called for civility and compassion in his first inaugural in 2001, then embraced partisanship as total war and birthed what Stephen Colbert called “truthiness,” a dressing up of lies that now seems quaint compared to Trump’s documented 30,000 lies and 54,000 words of insults. So the era of good feelings may not outlast the evening, though Biden’s age and sorrows seem to have left him with few of the serrated edges of partisanship.
We can always hope. “If only we’re brave enough to see it,” the laureate had said, before finishing on that line: “If only we’re brave enough to be it.”
It isn’t who was she. It is who she is: Gorman is the unvanquished voice of the American we idealize, at once the best and worst of the didactic and poetic, the possible and the impossibly scaled in this country of the “battered and beautiful.” Her poem won’t rank with Milton and Hughes in academic anthologies but as words that seize up the moment like no other, like Zola’s “J’accuse!” in 1898. It was far from his best work. Yet it was Zola at his best when France’s internal demons needed it most. Gorman asked in “The Hill We Climb” the same question we’ve been asking ourselves, and really not just the past four years: “Where can we find light in this never-ending shade,” in this “nation that isn’t broken but simply unfinished”?
She diagnosed the culminating insurgency of two weeks ago in imagery almost too lyrical, considering the still-hanging image of a noose over Congress: “We’ve seen a forest that would shatter our nation rather than share it, would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy. And this effort very nearly succeeded. But while democracy can be periodically delayed, it can never be permanently defeated.” She then channeled Woodie Guthrie with that wonderful inflection “from my bronze-pounded chest”: “We will raise this wounded world/into a wondrous one/we will rise from the gold-limned hills of the West/We will rise from the windswept Northeast/Where our forefathers first realized revolution/We will rise from the lake-rimmed cities of the Midwestern states/We will rise from the sun-baked South/We will build, reconcile and recover in every known nook of our nation/and every corner called our country…”
Biden’s knack for thematic harmony in his choice of speakers and performers is the unmistakable parallel to his broader call for unity: By then Jennifer Lopez had wedded Guthrie’s song with “America the Beautiful” (and her Spanish injection of the last lines of the Pledge of Allegiance), and Biden had delivered what was supposed to be the speech of the day. It very well could have been, had Gorman not followed it. But she did: a beacon of the hope ahead.
I was so damned moved. This, I kept thinking, is why I became American, why today felt less like exile and more like home again.
Pierre Tristam is FlaglerLive’s editor. Reach him by email here.
Richard says
So explain to me in layman’s terms who exactly allowed this “beautiful” country to be “battered” to pieces all summer long? I welcome anyone’s truthful common sense explanation.
Pierre Tristam says
You might begin by trying not to turn the tables on the actual battering with baseless exaggerations whipped up by your Foxy networks of libelous, racist and fabricating propagandists, though blaming the victim is an eminently American habit. Truthful? Clearly, your definition of the term aligns with newspeak, which isn’t spoken here. Considering how immersed this county is in it, you can easily slake your need for it elsewhere. I’m surprised you keep coming back here. Must be something subconscious. Better that than nothing.
oldtimer says
I can’t speak about the other cities, but I saw first hand the damage done by the “peaceful protests” in Philadelphia. Over 30 police cars totaled, Dozens of small private business (mostly minority owned) torched and widespread looting .That was not baseless exaggerations.
Richard says
I keep coming back because I am guaranteed of getting useless dribble from people who have closed minds who can’t see the forest for the trees. And I am never disappointed.
Pierre Tristam says
Who am I to judge a sadomasochist. Thanks for the loyalty.
Palm Coast Citizen says
Please, thank you for these responses. Say it!
Steve says
That would be Trump allowing the C19 spread to accelerate and kill needless amounts of Americans by doing nothing. Got it. Catchem up
TR says
Like this Walter puppet will be able to do anything different? He’s already backtracking on doing more than Trump. He stated during his campaign that he will take care of this virus within his first 100 days and get it under control. He’s not even in office two days and he’s already backtracking. Typical Moron Joe for 47+ yrs in his political carrier and the next 4 will be no different. But he’ll blame trump like always.
I SEE BIDEN BEING THE WORST LEADER OF THIS COUNTRY EVER!!!!!
Steve says
It wasnt Biden. It was about anyone other than Trump. Frankly he has quite a task to overcome the Orange blowhard for that position. Jan. 6th comes to mind. See C19 response or lack of it SMH Just keep Winning.
John Stove says
Richard:
Stop watching Fox for a day and let your mind come out of the fog.
Protests over the summer where a reaction to the action of police brutalizing (captured on video) and in some cases killing fellow citizens of color. Then the Divider in Chief makes comments about Nazis and White Power lunatics as being “fine people”, and to the Proud Boys “stand back and stand by” and his cult (at his direction) descend upon these protests to cause trouble (ex: Kyle Rittenhouse).
Lets not even talk about Trumps seditious and treasonous acts in the recent capitol hill riot (another Trump first).
So when you add an accelerant to a smoldering fire you get an out of control fire. Trump could have very easily deescalated these situations but he played to his base thinking that his white supremacist fascist followers would carry him to victory in November, instead these “low class” (as Trump called them) zealots relegated him to his rightful place which is the dumpster behind the White House.
I will agree that Trump did accomplish several notable things for historical purposes:
Only President ever impeached twice in one-term.
Only President to never break the 50% job approval rating
Only President to lose over 3 million jobs in one term
Only President to lose the Presidency, The Senate and the House in one term
Joined elite club on one-term presidents
Lost the popular vote by over 8 million votes
TRUMP WAS THE WORST PRESIDENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES
James says
Guess you are not old enough to remember Jimmy Carter. Biden will end up worse
Agkistrodon says
Portland wasn’t tore up by riots yesterday by anyone you mentioned, it was antifa and BLM people rioting at dem hq in portland.
Karen says
Let’s see how many jobs are lost in these 4 years. How many yesterday by stoping the pipe line. Some people can’t see what’s right in front of their eyes.
Steve says
Since ever in the History of the World has new Technology ever tanked the Economy or lost jobs permanently overall. Is there a transition period YES Will it affect people YES Its for the good of all of us. You wont be buying internal combustion engines soon etc etc and on it goes.
Samuel L. Bronkowitz says
Pierre, I’m glad that we have someone centrist, or maybe a little to the left, to write about these things. That said, Biden is part of the ruling class. His voting and bill history is Reagan-era Republican, and Harris has a prosecution history that’s arguably as smarmy as klobuchar’s. His idea of us does not include you and me. He’s part of the ruling class, the same group that suffers no real consequences for horrible offenses. He’s already turned $2000 into $1400, and he’s already reneged on his promises made with respect to the Georgia election. We can all celebrate the removal of trump but the replacement may or may not be better.
Rich Harnage says
Samuel.
DITTO!
Stephen Smith says
You already got $600 that leaves $1400. He never said you would receive $2000 on top of the $600.
Samuel L. Bronkowitz says
You might want to spend a little time googling that.
Edith Campins says
You mean like trump is part of the ruling class that suffers no consequences for his terrible offenses? Is that why Republicans are saying he should not be impeached for inciting insurrection? He turned $2000 into $1400 because $600 has already been sent, duh! His idea of “us” includes me. What it doesn’t include is those in the mob that smeared feces and urine in the Capitol. It doesn’t include the rabble who damaged one of our institutions, built a noose and chanted “Hang Pence”. It doesn’t include the cultists who believed the lies spewed by trump and his followers about the election, whithout a shred of proof. And I, for one, I am glad because I don’t seek unity with criminals who broke the law and threatened our democracy.
Samuel L. Bronkowitz says
He won’t see any real consequences.
Robert says
Bravo Pierre
Steve says
The part I especially liked was when 45 left the Building. A long time coming and should’ve been sooner. IMO Just like Trump was in 2015,16 46 is the right person at this point in time. Let’s just say it can only get better. Strap in it’s going to be turbulent
Mark, Palm Coast says
I read the full manuscript of the poem before coming to this article. I was happily stunned to read such an eloquent piece from such a young voice.
Pierre has done a great job of relating our current situation to past problems and it is well noted that resolution came from unity in those times, not divisiveness. Remember we have more in common than we realize: home, health and family.
I believe we have all had that optimism in our lives and we would be well served to remember it and discard the discord and distrust that gets thrust upon us now.
Tony says
Finally, our Nations 4 years of lies, misdeeds and self serving family and Cabinet members is over.
Agkistrodon says
Yeah Barrack never lied, right, and Bush never lied right, and Clinton never lied right? You do realize in 8 years The Obama admin invaded, attacked, and killed citizens of 7 sovereign nations. There was none of that the last 4 years. As someone who served in the military, I notice when someone sends others off to fight their battles. How many of our sons and daughters were sent to fight in a foreign conflict the last four years, and how many were brought home…….freedom is cheap for those unwilling to put their own tail on the line to protect it, and I’ve found many of our fine politicians will send anyone’s children, except their own.
Steve says
Sure are fighting a War domestically though
Mike Cocchiola says
Fox is already condemning Biden for calling for an end to racism, nativism, and white supremacy in his inaugural speech. Seems this is blatantly discriminating against trumpsters.
The king is dead. Long live the president.
Brian says
Just before 6:00 this morning, I turned on the TV to scan through the various news stations, as I do every morning. Of course, on this day, I knew full well what to expect. The fawning and drooling over Biden/Harris has begun in full force. The usual off-camera moans and groans of Mika Brezinski have up until today sounded like someone struggling in the bathroom. This morning they sounded almost orgasmic. The left-wing shills at CNN were all smiles and euphoric. CNN, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, and the like all mollycoddled Obama and gave him a pass for eight years. And to top it off, I had to tune in to Pierre, whom I knew would be a head drool-master this morning. I am so damn happy that he was so damned moved.
John Stove says
Then do us all a favor and go back to Fox News and Newsmaxx where they talk about how Herr Trump was the greatest:
Only President ever impeached twice in one-term.
Only President to never break the 50% job approval rating
Only President to lose over 3 million jobs in one term
Only President to lose the Presidency, The Senate and the House in one term
Joined elite club on one-term presidents
Lost the popular vote by over 8 million votes
TRUMP WAS THE WORST PRESIDENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES
Bill C says
Yes, sane people are all smiles and euphoric that Trump is gone. Tell your children about how you fought hard to prevent world domination by the cabal of Satan worshipping cannibalistic pedophiles running a global sex trafficking ring who were plotting against the Q-anon super hero Donald Trump. And don’t forget to mention the anti-constitutional assault on the Capitol by white supremacists.
snapperhead says
Biden missed a big chance to encourage unity. He could have had Toby Keith sing the national anthem and had the Duck Dynasty guys read some poetry. The Proud Boys Chorus singing ” Wind beneath my wings” would’ve been a nice touch too. Murica git-r-dun.
Land of no turn signals says says
Well Joe’s at the wheel let’s watch all those vaccines roll out.We should be knee deep in them by March.
Carl Lewis says
Beautifully written, Pierre! Well done.
For those with negative comments about yesterday’s inauguration I can only say, shame on you for not heeding the call to unity and light. It’s high time you listened to the adage, “if you have nothing good to say, better to say nothing at all”.
Sherry says
trump SHOULD be found guilty by the Senate, but that is not likely because our Congress (on both sides) has been completely corrupted by the almighty buck. The largest influence on that decision will be what the biggest contributors to the Republican party decide to do.
Now for some of the latest incriminating FACTS from behind the scenes:
A story by Katie Benner in the New York Times explains that as soon as Rosen replaced Barr, Trump began to pressure Rosen to challenge the election results, appoint special counsels to investigate disproven voter fraud, and look into irregularities in the Dominion voting machines (Dominion is now suing pro-Trump lawyer Sidney Powell for defamation). Rosen refused. He told Trump the Justice Department had found no evidence of anything that would have changed the election results.
Trump complained about Rosen and moved to replace him with Clark, who promised to stop Congress from counting the certified Electoral College votes on January 6. This struggle came to a crisis on Sunday, January 3, 2021, when the news broke that Trump had called Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to pressure him to “find” the votes Trump needed to win the state. That evening, the senior officials at the Department of Justice agreed to resign as a group if Trump put Clark in as the new acting attorney general.
The vow that the leaders of the Department of Justice would quit if Trump tried to demote Rosen and put Clark in his place made Trump back off from his plan to pervert the Department of Justice. Three days later, rioters stormed the Capitol.
Sherry says
Although ALL politicians have lied to some extent, trump holds the title if being, “by far” the most DISHONEST in American history. . . and has actually made lying acceptable to hundreds of thousands of Americans. . . shattering one of our sacred foundational moral codes :
This from Wikipedia:
During his term as President of the United States, Donald Trump made tens of thousands of false or misleading claims; one report gave the number as 30,573. Commentators and fact-checkers have described this as “unprecedented” in American politics, and the consistency of these falsehoods became a distinctive part of both his business and political identity. Trump is known to have made controversial statements and subsequently denied having done so, and by June 2019, many news organizations had started describing some of his falsehoods as lies, which are false statements that the speaker knows are false.
ASF says
It’s very disturbing to read, not only the poisonous misinformation that people have been fed and which they now seem addicted to, but also to see how easily we cop out on our personal responsibilities by buying into whatever conspiracy theories suit our internal prejudices.
It’s like Donald Trump and his ReTrumplicans moved a rock and we have no idea how to deal with the dark forces that lurked beneath it that have since escaped and multiplied in the broad light of day.
Raymond W. says
About 20 years ago, I spotted a publication titled: The Anti-Federalist Papers. One of the papers, attributed to Melancton Smith, listed a number of reasons why he opposed the proposed Constitution, as written. One argument ran as follows: The Constitution inherently had the potential to allow power to be gathered by factions. He offered his belief that minority classes, such as the commercial class, the military class, the political class or the legal class, more easily formed associations than did the working class, which he opined simply could not so easily associate with each other to gain power. Thus, the majority of citizens could come to be dominated by whichever minority class associated into the ruling class. His fear was that the only way the working class might associate together would be if one not of the working class cast himself as one of them. Smith thought it likely such a leader would come from the commercial class; he thought that such a person would most likely have to be a demagogue to succeed in pulling the working class together and, therefore, dangerous to the country. Under the Articles of Confederation, such a consolidation of power was less likely to occur.