바이든 대통령은 이날 낮 워싱턴DC 연방의사당에 마련된 야외무대에서 ‘대통령 직무를 충실히 수행하고 헌법을 수호하겠다’는 내용의 취임선서와 ‘통합에 기반한 민주주의 재건’을 강조한 취임사를 하고 헌법에 따라 대통령 임기 개시 시점인 이날 정오부터 초강대국 미국 대통령직 업무를 시작했다.
바이든 대통령은 78세로 역대 최고령 대통령으로, 상원의원 36년과 부통령 8년을 지낸 직업정치인으로 세 번째 도전 끝에 미국의 대통령 자리에 올랐다.
취임식에는 사상 첫 여성 부통령이자 흑인·아시아계 부통령인 카멀라 해리스(Kamala Harris) 부통령 부부도 참석해 부통령 취임선서를 했다.
빌 클린턴, 조지 W. 부시, 버락 오바마 전 대통령이 참석해 바이든 당선인의 취임을 축하했으며, 생존해 있는 전직 대통령 가운데 지미 카터 전 대통령은 고령인 데다 병치레로 참석하지 못했다.
바이든 대통령은 취임사를 통해 미국의 산적한 난제를 해소하기 위해 국민의 마음을 다시 하나로 모으는 통합을 강조했다.
바이든 대통령은 “오늘은 미국의 날, 민주주의의 날, 역사와 희망의 날, 새로운 날이 풀리는 날”이라며 “오랜 세월 동안 고난을 겪으면서 미국은 새로운 시험을 받았고 도전에 직면해왔다”면서 “우리는 한 후보의 승리가 아니라 민주주의의 승리를 축하한다”고 말했다.
그러면서 “우리는 민주주의가 소중하다는 것을 다시 배웠다. 민주주의는 깨지기 쉽지만, 지금 민주주의는 승리했다”고 강조했다.
바이든 대통령은 “미국의 이야기는 우리 중 누구에게만, 우리 중 일부에게만 달려있게 아니고 우리 모두에게 달려 있다. 더 완벽한 연합을 추구하는 ‘우리 국민(We the People)’에 대한 이야기”라며 “미국은 위대한 국가이고 우리는 좋은 국민”이라고 했다.
그러면서 “이제 정치적 극단주의, 백인우월주의, 국내 테러리즘의 등장은 우리가 맞서야 하며 우리는 승리할 것”이라며 “이러한 도전들을 극복하려면 말 이상의 것이 필요하고, 민주주의에서 가장 달성하기 어려운 것이 필요하며, 그것은 통합, 통합”이라고 거듭 강조했다.
버이든 대통령은 “함께하는 미국을 구현하고 사람과 나라의 통합을 위해 제 모든 영혼을 쏟겠다. 국민 여러분도 이 길에 동참해 달라”며 “저는 모든 미국인을 위한 대통령이 될 것”이라며 상대편까지 포괄하는 통합형 지도자가 되겠다고 다짐했다.
그는 코로나19 대응과 관련해서는 “정치적 싸움을 제쳐 두고 한 국가로서 바이러스와 싸워야 한다. 우리는 함께 해야 한다. 세계가 우리를 지켜보고 있다”며 초당적 협력을 주문했다.
외교 부문에서도 “우리는 미국의 지위를 회복할 것이며 선례를 보이고 세계를 이끌 것이다. 미국은 강하고 믿음직스러운 동맹이 될 것”이라며 정책 변화를 시사했다.
바이든 대통령은 마지막으로 미국 국가를 언급하며 “헌법과 민주주의 미국을 지키겠다. 권력이 아닌 기회를 생각하겠다. 함께 공포가 아닌 희망의 서사를 쓰겠다. 우리는 함께 민주주의가 우리 눈 앞에서 죽지 않았다는 걸 보여줄 것”이라고 말했다.
한편, 미국 대통령 취임식은 그동안 취임식 당일 전직ㆍ현직 대통령이 백악관에서 만나 담소를 나눈 뒤 취임식장으로 함께 이동하는 것이 관례였지만, 이번 대선에 불복한 도널드 트럼프 대통령은 불참한 채 거주지인 플로리다로 이동했다.
트럼프 전 대통령은 마지막 연설에서 “어떤 방식으로든 돌아오겠다”며 “항상 여러분을 위해 싸우겠다”고 말했고, “많은 것을 성취했다”며 자신의 업적을 스스로 치하했지만, 대선 불복과 의회 난동사태 조장, 후임 취임식 불참 등 그 어느 때보다 분열된 미국 사회를 남겨뒀다는 혹평이 나오는 가운데 재임 중 처음으로 하원으로부터 2번이나 탄핵을 당한 대통령이란 불명예를 안으며 역사의 뒤안길로 사라졌다.
<조 바이든 제46대 미국 대통령 취임사 영어 전문(全文)>
Chief Justice Roberts, Vice-President Harris, Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, Vice-President Pence. My distinguished guests, my fellow Americans.
This is America's day. This is democracy's day. A day of history and hope, of renewal and resolve. Through a crucible for the ages, America has been tested a new and America has risen to the challenge.
Today we celebrate the triumph not of a candidate but of a cause, a cause of democracy. The people - the will of the people - has been heard, and the will of the people has been heeded.
We've learned again that democracy is precious, democracy is fragile and, at this hour my friends, democracy has prevailed.
So now on this hallowed ground where just a few days ago violence sought to shake the Capitol's very foundations, we come together as one nation under God - indivisible - to carry out the peaceful transfer of power as we have for more than two centuries.
As we look ahead in our uniquely American way, restless, bold, optimistic, and set our sights on a nation we know we can be and must be, I thank my predecessors of both parties.
I thank them from the bottom of my heart. And I know the resilience of our Constitution and the strength, the strength of our nation, as does President Carter, who I spoke with last night who cannot be with us today, but who we salute for his lifetime of service.
I've just taken a sacred oath each of those patriots have taken. The oath first sworn by George Washington. But the American story depends not on any one of us, not on some of us, but on all of us. On we the people who seek a more perfect union.
This is a great nation, we are good people. And over the centuries through storm and strife in peace and in war we've come so far. But we still have far to go.
We'll press forward with speed and urgency for we have much to do in this winter of peril and significant possibility. Much to do, much to heal, much to restore, much to build and much to gain.
Few people in our nation's history have been more challenged or found a time more challenging or difficult than the time we're in now. A once in a century virus that silently stalks the country has taken as many lives in one year as in all of World War Two.
Millions of jobs have been lost. Hundreds of thousands of businesses closed. A cry for racial justice, some 400 years in the making, moves us. The dream of justice for all will be deferred no longer.
A cry for survival comes from the planet itself, a cry that can't be any more desperate or any more clear now. The rise of political extremism, white supremacy, domestic terrorism, that we must confront and we will defeat.
To overcome these challenges, to restore the soul and secure the future of America, requires so much more than words.
It requires the most elusive of all things in a democracy - unity. Unity. In another January on New Year's Day in 1863 Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
When he put pen to paper the president said, and I quote, 'if my name ever goes down in history, it'll be for this act, and my whole soul is in it'.
My whole soul is in it today, on this January day. My whole soul is in this. Bringing America together, uniting our people, uniting our nation.
And I ask every American to join me in this cause. Uniting to fight the foes we face - anger, resentment and hatred. Extremism, lawlessness, violence, disease, joblessness, and hopelessness.
With unity we can do great things, important things. We can right wrongs, we can put people to work in good jobs, we can teach our children in safe schools.
We can overcome the deadly virus, we can rebuild work, we can rebuild the middle class and make work secure, we can secure racial justice and we can make America once again the leading force for good in the world.
I know speaking of unity can sound to some like a foolish fantasy these days. I know the forces that divide us are deep and they are real.
But I also know they are not new. Our history has been a constant struggle between the American ideal, that we are all created equal, and the harsh ugly reality that racism, nativism and fear have torn us apart. The battle is perennial and victory is never secure.
Through civil war, the Great Depression, World War, 9/11, through struggle, sacrifice, and setback, our better angels have always prevailed.
In each of our moments enough of us have come together to carry all of us forward and we can do that now. History, faith and reason show the way. The way of unity.
We can see each other not as adversaries but as neighbours. We can treat each other with dignity and respect. W
e can join forces, stop the shouting and lower the temperature. For without unity there is no peace, only bitterness and fury, no progress, only exhausting outrage.
No nation, only a state of chaos. This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge. And unity is the path forward. And we must meet this moment as the United States of America.
If we do that, I guarantee we will not failed. We have never, ever, ever, ever failed in America when we've acted together. And so today at this time in this place, let's start afresh, all of us. Let's begin to listen to one another again, hear one another, see one another.
Show respect to one another. Politics doesn't have to be a raging fire destroying everything in its path. Every disagreement doesn't have to be a cause for total war and we must reject the culture in which facts themselves are manipulated and even manufactured.
My fellow Americans, we have to be different than this. We have to be better than this and I believe America is so much better than this. Just look around.
Here we stand in the shadow of the Capitol dome. As mentioned earlier, completed in the shadow of the Civil War.
When the union itself was literally hanging in the balance. We endure, we prevail. Here we stand, looking out on the great Mall, where Dr King spoke of his dream.
Here we stand, where 108 years ago at another inaugural, thousands of protesters tried to block brave women marching for the right to vote.
And today we mark the swearing in of the first woman elected to national office, Vice President Kamala Harris. Don't tell me things can change. Here we stand where heroes who gave the last full measure of devotion rest in eternal peace.
And here we stand just days after a riotous mob thought they could use violence to silence the will of the people, to stop the work of our democracy, to drive us from this sacred ground.
It did not happen, it will never happen, not today, not tomorrow, not ever. Not ever. To all those who supported our campaign, I'm humbled by the faith you placed in us.
To all those who did not support us, let me say this. Hear us out as we move forward. Take a measure of me and my heart.
If you still disagree, so be it. That's democracy. That's America. The right to dissent peacefully. And the guardrail of our democracy is perhaps our nation's greatest strength.
If you hear me clearly, disagreement must not lead to disunion. And I pledge this to you. I will be a President for all Americans, all Americans.
And I promise you I will fight for those who did not support me as for those who did.
Many centuries ago, St Augustine - the saint of my church - wrote that a people was a multitude defined by the common objects of their love.
Defined by the common objects of their love. What are the common objects we as Americans love, that define us as Americans? I think we know. Opportunity, security, liberty, dignity, respect, honour, and yes, the truth.
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 a responsibility as citizens as Americans and especially as leaders. Leaders who are pledged to honour our Constitution to protect our nation. To defend the truth and defeat the lies.
Look, I understand that many of my fellow Americans view the future with fear and trepidation. I understand they worry about their jobs. I understand like their dad they lay in bed at night staring at the ceiling thinking: 'Can I keep my healthcare? Can I pay my mortgage?' Thinking about their families, about what comes next.
I promise you, I get it. But the answer's not to turn inward. To retreat into competing factions. Distrusting those who don't look like you, or worship the way you do, who don't get their news from the same source as you do.
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, if we show a little tolerance and humility, and if we're willing to stand in the other person's shoes, as my mom would say. Just for a moment, stand in their shoes.
Because here's the thing about life. There's no accounting for what fate will deal you. Some days you need a hand. There are other days when we're called to lend a hand.
That's how it has to be, that's what we do for one another. And if we are that way our country will be stronger, more prosperous, more ready for the future. And we can still disagree.
My fellow Americans, in the work ahead of us we're going to need each other.
We need all our strength to persevere through this dark winter. We're entering what may be the darkest and deadliest period of the virus.
We must set aside politics and finally face this pandemic as one nation, one nation. And I promise this, as the Bible says, 'Weeping may endure for a night, joy cometh in the morning'. We will get through this together. Together.
Look folks, all my colleagues I serve with in the House and the Senate up here, we all understand the world is watching. Watching all of us today. So here's my message to those beyond our borders.
America has been tested and we've come out stronger for it. We will repair our alliances, and engage with the world once again.
Not to meet yesterday's challenges but today's and tomorrow's challenges. And we'll lead not merely by the example of our power but the power of our example.
Fellow Americans, moms, dads, sons, daughters, friends, neighbours and co-workers. We will honour them by becoming the people and the nation we can and should be.
So I ask you let's say a silent prayer for those who lost their lives, those left behind and for our country. Amen.
Folks, it's a time of testing. We face an attack on our democracy, and on truth, a raging virus, a stinging inequity, systemic racism, a climate in crisis, America's role in the world.
Any one of these would be enough to challenge us in profound ways. But the fact is we face them all at once, presenting this nation with one of the greatest responsibilities we've had. Now we're going to be tested. Are we going to step up?
It's time for boldness for there is so much to do. And this is certain, I promise you. We will be judged, you and I, by how we resolve these cascading crises of our era.
We will rise to the occasion. Will we master this rare and difficult hour? Will we meet our obligations and pass along a new and better world to our children? I believe we must and I'm sure you do as well.
I believe we will, and when we do, we'll write the next great chapter in the history of the United States of America. The American story.
A story that might sound like a song that means a lot to me, it's called American Anthem. And there's one verse that stands out at least for me and it goes like this: 'The work and prayers of centuries have brought us to this day, which shall be our legacy, what will our children say? Let me know in my heart when my days are through, America, America, I gave my best to you.'
Let us add our own work and prayers to the unfolding story of our great nation. If we do this, then when our days are through, our children and our children's children will say of us: 'They gave their best, they did their duty, they healed a broken land.'
My fellow Americans I close the day where I began, with a sacred oath. Before God and all of you, I give you my word. I will always level with you. I will defend the Constitution, I'll defend our democracy.
I'll defend America and I will give all - all of you - keep everything I do in your service. Thinking not of power but of possibilities. Not of personal interest but of public good.
And together we will write an American story of hope, not fear. Of unity not division, of light not darkness.
A story of decency and dignity, love and healing, greatness and goodness. May this be the story that guides us. The story that inspires us.
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And the story that tells ages yet to come that we answered the call of history, we met the moment. Democracy and hope, truth and justice, did not die on our watch but thrive.
hat America secured liberty at home and stood once again as a beacon to the world. That is what we owe our forbearers, one another, and generations to follow.
So with purpose and resolve, we turn to those tasks of our time. Sustained by faith, driven by conviction and devoted to one another and the country we love with all our hearts. May God bless America and God protect our troops.
