Joe Biden’s team announced new details for its plans for the presidential inauguration, which the president-elect already indicated would bear some similarities to the nearly all-virtual Democratic National Convention, reimagined because of Covid-19.
Stephanie Cutter and Ricky Kirshner, who spearheaded the convention plans, will serve as executive producers of the inaugural, with Rod O’Connor as senior adviser.
Biden’s Presidential Inaugural Committee also is urging the public not to travel to Washington, D.C. for the Jan. 20 event, and to “participate in the inaugural activities from home.”
Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will take the Oath of Office at the Capitol, but the ceremony’s “footprint will be extremely limited,” and the inaugural parade that follows will be “reimagined.” Construction crews already have been at work building the inaugural platform at the Capitol and the reviewing stand at the White House.
In a statement, Tony Allen, the CEO of the Presidential Inaugural Committee, said, “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.”
David Kessler, the former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, is joining as the inaugural’s chief medical adviser.
The event will look a lot different from recent inaugurals, which included inaugural balls, Lincoln Memorial concerts and prayer services, as well as a slew of celebrity attendees.
(Excerpt) Read more in: Deadline