inauguration daze A new day has arrived, one marked by fear and hope and a sense of otherworldliness. With 20,000 National Guard troops in Washington and a sparse crowd, owing to both the pandemic and security concerns, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States. We are breaking it all down in today’s Daily Dose and on a special live edition of The Carlos Watson Show. Tune in Now

Nick Fouriezos (reporting from Washington) and Crystal Rose

1. Turning the Page Biden took the oath of office before dignitaries and supporters, then addressed the violence at the Capitol just two weeks earlier. “Democracy has prevailed,” he said. Casting himself as a uniter of a divided country, Biden acknowledged that such goals “can sound to some like a foolish fantasy. I know the forces that divide us are deep and they are real. But I also know they are not new.” He said he would fight as hard for those who did not vote for him as those who did, and projected a calmer four years of national discourse. “Politics doesn’t have to be a raging fire destroying everything in its path,” Biden said. “Every disagreement doesn’t have to be a cause for total war.”

2. Sick of CNN? OZY is here to give you a break from the usual talking heads on cable news. Tune into The Carlos Watson Show starting at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT for a live inauguration aftershow, featuring fresh insights and hot takes from people like former top Biden aide Patti Solis Doyle, journalist Megyn Kelly and you — our dedicated OZY family — weighing in on this historic day. Tune in Now

3. Trump’s Departure The 45th president was a no-show for the inauguration of his successor, and they still haven’t had any direct contact, but before Donald Trump boarded Air Force One for the final time, he wished the incoming administration “great success.” He added that any success would be built on his own accomplishments, took a jab at Biden by saying that he hopes the new administration doesn’t “raise your taxes” and teased a political future: “We will be back in some form.” A Trump spokesperson said the outgoing president did leave a note for his successor, but the contents were not immediately revealed.

4. Peaceful Transition? OZY Editor-at-Large and Fordham University professor Christina Greer argues that the tightly secured inauguration, two weeks after the attack on the Capitol, should not be revered as a peaceful transition of power. “In response to those who cannot believe America is infiltrated with hate-filled racists and those who are befuddled by their behavior, my question is simply: ‘Where have you been, and why have you not been paying attention?’” Greer writes. Read more on OZY

5. What It Was Like The show of force did have its intended effect: The inauguration was a quiet affair. The few hundred people who gathered were spread out and across the street from barricades. Twenty-year-old Anthony Rojas, who traveled from Dallas, is hopeful, particularly about Biden’s plan to create an easier path to citizenship for many. Jack Curtis from Boston flew a Black Lives Matter flag outside the Capitol despite requests from local BLM organizers that supporters not rally for fear of inflaming tensions. Planned MAGA protests didn’t materialize at John Marshall Park, the designated free-speech zone, and Homeland Security closed it to the public before noon, citing permit irregularities.

6. Unlikely Star

There were high-wattage performances from Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez and Garth Brooks, but the most buzz was around Amanda Gorman, 22, who delivered a stirring poem that captured the moment. “There is always light. Only if we’re brave enough to see it. Only if we’re brave enough to be it,” Gorman said. We first told you about Gorman back in 2017, when she was an OZY Genius Award winner for her big idea: to create a virtual reality museum of young activists.