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WASHINGTON – President-elect Joe Biden is not taking a chance to celebrate his inauguration. While traditional inaugural balls are not held due to the coronavirus pandemic, Biden’s inaugural committee has scheduled a prime-time special to mark the swearing-in on the evening of January 20. On Sunday, the committee announced additional participants who will. Included in the program are Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of the Broadway hit “Hamilton”.
According to the committee, Miranda “will recite a classical work during the program”. Other newly announced entrants to the special include NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, chef and philanthropist José Andrés, union leader Dolores Huerta and Kim Ng, the first woman to serve as general manager of a Major League Baseball team. Tom Hanks had previously been announced as host of the “Celebrating America” special with musical artists including Justin Timberlake, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, John Legend and the Foo Fighters. Actresses Eva Longoria and Kerry Washington will be presenting different segments as they did at the Democratic National Convention last August. Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will also make remarks on the show.
Biden’s inauguration will come just two weeks after supporters of President Trump fiercely attacked the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to prevent lawmakers from certifying Biden’s victory over the incumbent president in last year’s election. Five deaths were linked to the violence and law enforcement reported persistent threats across the country. As a result, the Secret Service led an unprecedented lockdown in the District of Columbia for the inauguration. Over the past few days, much of downtown Washington has been designated a closed-to-public red zone, including the National Mall and the Capitol, which is the traditional site of the presidential swearing-in.
Despite the high threat level, Biden and his team stressed that they are confident the inauguration will be secure. Biden still plans to be sworn in on the west front of the Capitol building. This ceremony will include performances by Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez.
The pandemic also caused the cancellation of the traditional inaugural parade. Instead, Biden’s committee plans to hold a “virtual parade” after the inauguration.
With tensions high, the theme for Biden’s inauguration is “America United”. The special “Celebrate America” will be the highlight of the festivities. It is scheduled to air on all major cable TV and news channels, as well as on Biden’s inaugural website, from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET on January 20. In addition to celebrity guests, the program is expected to include “ordinary Americans who have mobilized in their communities,” including several who have worked on the pandemic response.
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