THE NEW PRESIDENT of the United States Joe Biden strongly emphasised unity in his inauguration speech today, which he said is the path forward through the “historic moment of crisis and challenge” facing America. 

“This is America’s day,” Biden said. “This is democracy’s day, a day of history and hope.

“I pledge this to you. I will be a president for all Americans. All Americans. I will fight as hard for those who didn’t support me as those who did.”

Joe Biden was sworn in today as the 46th President, succeeding Donald Trump, and today issued a call for people to put aside their political differences going forward. 

“The dream of justice for all will be deferred no longer, for the survival of the planet itself, a cry that can’t be any more desperate. Now the rise of political extremism, white supremacy, domestic terrorism that we must confront, and we will defeat.

“With unity, we can do great things, important things. We can right wrongs. 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.

“We must reject the culture in which facts themselves are manipulated and even manufactured. Fellow Americans, we have to be different. America has to be better than this. And I believe America is so much better than that.

“We must end this uncivil war that pits red against blue, rural versus urban or conservative versus liberal. Here’s my message that goes 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.

“Recent weeks and months have taught us a painful lesson: there is truth and there are lies. Lied told for power and for profit. And each of us has a responsibility – as citizens, as Americans, and especially as leaders [...] to defend the truth and defeat the lies.”

The new US President said that the country may be about to face into the toughest stage of the pandemic so far, and asked people to pray for the 400,000 people who’ve died with the virus.

“We must finally set aside politics and face this pandemic as one nation,” Biden said. “We will get through this together.”

Instead of quoting an Irish poet – as he has done in previous speeches – the new US President quoted singer-songwriter Norah Jones during his speech. 

“America, America. I gave my best to you,” he said, from Jones’ song American Anthem.