Joe Biden’s Inaugural Committee does not want supporters to travel to Washington, D.C., in January for the swearing in of the 46th president.
The Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) consulted “with medical experts advising President-elect Joe Biden” and announced “initial protocols to protect public health during the inauguration,” an event that takes place outside on the Capitol lawn.
Biden’s advisors said in a press release that the “historic ceremony” will include “vigorous health and safety protocols,” and “honors and resembled sacred American traditions while keeping Americans safe and preventing the spread of COVID-19 [Chinese coronavirus].”
Biden’s speech will focus on the coronavirus, “build back better, and bring the country together.”
That may stand in sharp contrast to the speech he delivered Monday after the Electoral College cast the sufficient number of votes to make him the president-elect.
“Biden did not just acknowledge victory; he taunted his defeated opponent, President Donald Trump,” Breitbart News’s Joel Pollak noted. “Rather than celebrate the result and reach out to Trump and his supporters, Biden — coughing up phlegm throughout his speech — attempted to rub salt in the wound, continuing to argue the case after he had already won it.”
“The ceremony’s footprint will be extremely limited, and the parade that follows will be reimagined,” the PIC said, without giving further details.
“The PIC is urging the public to refrain from any travel and participate in the inaugural activities from home,” the committee said.
It also recommended supporters should “limit gatherings during the inauguration,” a theme that was implemented during the campaign, which saw Biden play to tiny, well-spaced crowds of backers.
“Our goal is to create an inauguration that keeps people safe, honors the grand traditions of the Presidency, and showcases the Biden-Harris Administration’s renewed American vision for an inclusive, equitable, and unified citizenry,” PIC CEO Tony Allen said.
Organizers said they have hired “a team of seasoned production experts” to create the program. Their experience includes “envisioning and producing some of the nation’s most-watched events, including Democratic National Conventions, presidential inaugurations, Super Bowl halftime shows, Tony Awards, and more.”
“The pandemic is continuing to have a significant public health impact across the nation,” PIC Chief Medical Advisor Dr. David Kessler said in the release.
“Americans everywhere must do their part to slow the spread of the virus: wear masks, stay home, and limit gatherings. We are asking Americans to participate in inaugural events from home to protect themselves, their families, friends, and communities,” he said.
Kyle Olson is a reporter for Breitbart News. He is also host of “The Kyle Olson Show,” syndicated on Michigan radio stations on Saturdays — download full podcast episodes. Follow him on Parler.