Jan 21, 2021 — President Joe Biden called for unity and civility in his inaugural address at the U.S. Capitol Wednesday. He urged people to come together to heal a nation left deeply divided by a tumultuous four years.
"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," said Biden.
He declared that “democracy has prevailed” as he took the oath on the same spot where an insurrectionist mob sieged the U.S. Capitol just two weeks ago.
Then presidential candidate Joe Biden talking with attendees of a rally in Council Bluffs, Iowa, in 2019. Photo by Matt A.J. via Flickr
Thrilled for change
NPR’s Brian Mann talked with with people in the North Country about what yesterday's transfer of power meant to them. He was on All Things Considered last night and talke dabout it with Monica Sandreczki.
MONICA SANDRECZKI: Brian, what have you been hearing from people as President Biden takes over?
BRIAN MANN: Some of the people I talked to were pretty thrilled at the idea that things are changing in Washington. I met Thomas Fettigan who normally works as a stage hand in New York City, but when theaters shut down because of the pandemic, he moved up here to kind of ride out the storm.
"Looks like it's going to be a good day, I think, change of power... I'm hopeful yeah. The scenes on TV are terrible and I'm hoping things get more normal," said Fettigan.
The pandemic was really on a lot of people's minds yesterday. More and more people know someone who's gotten really sick or died or lost their job. People told me they hope Biden can start to heal the country.
Fresh start
MS: A lot of the North Country has stayed loyal to Trump. Did you hear a sense of loss yesterday?
BM: Absolutely. I spoke with some Trump supporters who wouldn't go on tape; they were defiant and angry. There are still a lot of Trump banners outside homes. But what's fascinating is even some people who describe themselves as conservatives and Republicans told me today they're ready for change. They're just exhausted by Trump. Phillip Hutchens is 83 years old and has lived in Elizabethtown all his life.
"[I'll] probably take some hits from some my friends here but this is the way I feel about it. I'm glad President Trump is on his way out, I wish the new guy all the best — and I'm a Republican," said Hutchens.
I heard something similar from Josh Bennett pastor of a small church in Elizabethtown. He said he likes a lot of Trump's conservative policies - but just ran out of patience with Trump himself, with the anger and the name-calling and the bitter tweets.
"I usually vote conservative but his character didn't really line up with what I envision for a president. I'm hopeful for the future, something different, a fresh start, you know," said Bennett.
But again, it's important to say many conservatives here are still very strongly in Trump's camp and heartbroken to see him go. Of course, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik was one of the Republicans who really embraced Trump's false claims that the election was rigged. Yesterday, she congratulated President Biden – but she still hasn’t walked back those claims or said whether she still believes them. Polls suggest that a lot of Republican voters do see Joe Biden as illegitimate because of the kind of inaccurate information she shared.
Not Donald Trump
MS: What about Joe Biden? How confident are people you talked to that he can solve some of the country's problems?
"I usually vote conservative but [Trump's] character didn't really line up with what I envision for a president. I'm hopeful for the future, something different, a fresh start, you know," said Bennett.
BM: The truth is no one I talked to yesterday was over the moon about Joe Biden except as a figure of change as the man who's not Donald Trump. I talked about this with Stephania Iazelinkski a college student, who said she's overjoyed Trump is gone, but doesn't think Biden will work miracles.
"I think it's really good, it's a relief having someone who's sophisticated and sound-minded as our president for once, um, and it was just annoying constantly having the news be Trump did this because like he's just ruining, breaking all the rules, like it's a good thing - and it's really not," said Iazelinkski.
I also asked Phillip Hutchens about this - the 83-year-old Republican. Hutchens said he expects to disagree with Biden on a lot of things but he thinks it's possible Biden's a leader who could pull the country together.
"I'm hopeful that he is. He has a lot of background of course, he was in the Senate for a long time," said Hutchens. I'm hopeful he's able to be strong enough and forceful enough. But I'm going to wait and see on that."
So, to sum up, I heard hope and joy here yesterday in the North Country but more relief, a sense that even if things don't get better overnight there might just be less craziness and drama under President Biden.
Rep. Stefanik echoes Biden's call for unity, but says he's already undermining it
MS: NPR's Brian Mann talking with us about what he heard in the North Country yesterday as Joe Biden was taking the oath of office. Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik echoed President Joe Biden’s call for unity among the American people, but told right-wing media she thinks the new administration has already betrayed that promise.
In a statement, Stefanik thanked former President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence for their hard work.
She also congratulated current President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and said she desires unity for the country and looks forward to working with them.
However, the Adirondack Daily Enterprise reports she criticized Biden on Fox News Tuesday night, saying he’s not reaching out to Republicans as he introduces far-left policy proposals, like his COVID-19 relief plan.
Stefanik voted against certifying the results of the presidential election in Pennsylvania, giving claims of election fraud that have been debunked by courts and state governments.
The Link LonkJanuary 21, 2021 at 10:55PM
https://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/43075/20210121/some-north-country-trump-supporters-are-ready-for-fresh-start-with-biden
Some North Country Trump supporters are ready for fresh start with Biden - North Country Public Radio
https://news.google.com/search?q=fresh&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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