What to expect for Biden’s inaugural address

As President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take office in the face of more crisis than any other president in modern American history, the stakes in his inaugural address could not be higher.

A transition official told NBC News that Biden worked on the speech this weekend with his family and senior advisor Mike Donilon and that it will focus on familiar themes from his campaign: unity, healing and a vision for the many crises the country faces.

Advisers also say the speech will echo some of Biden’s recent speeches, which have doubled as opportunities to test the inaugural themes.

As he unveiled his $ 1.9 trillion economic package last week, Biden said bipartisanship was essential to dealing with the economy and the Covid-19 pandemic: “Unity does is not a heavenly pie dream – it’s a practical step to do what we need to do as a country, let’s act together, ”he said.

Still, we’re told not to expect Biden’s speech to be filled with soaring rhetoric. Biden believes he connects with people more effectively by taking a clear approach.

Read more: Biden plans America United inauguration theme

As a Democratic source noted, while some of the most famous lines in American political history come from the inaugural speeches – Lincoln’s “nastiness to no one, charity to all”, the only thing we need to fear is fear itself, “Kennedy” is not asking what your country can do for you “- most Americans probably don’t remember most others’ outlines.

There is pressure on speechwriters to “write for history”. But Biden’s allies believe the speech provides an opportunity to continue to play the leadership role he has already played throughout the transition – at a time of crisis, demonstrating to the much larger audience who will be at it. listen that someone is firmly in charge. That’s why Biden’s speeches throughout the transition often included a single line: “Help is on the way,” according to this Democratic source.

“People just yearn for a little normalcy, and someone who knows what they’re doing and has a hand in the wheel. He’s really good at it,” the Democratic source said. The speech “is going to be Joe Biden” because “the unit is part of who Joe Biden is. That’s what he believes.”

Donilon is a chief architect because he has been Biden’s message not only in this campaign, but most of his previous campaigns. He works alongside Vinay Reddy, director of speech writing for Biden, who worked for Biden when he was vice president.

Read more: Trump is set to leave the White House Wednesday morning for the last time as president

Biden’s challenge will be to reach voters who are still firmly behind President Donald Trump. He told NBC’s Kristen Welker during the last presidential debate that, if elected, he would use his speech to say, “I’m the president of the United States. I represent you all, whether you voted for me or against me, and I’m gonna make sure you’re represented. “

Aides says Biden will likely end on a similar note that he has underlined in almost every speech he has given in the past six months: There is nothing Americans cannot do despite these challenges though. the Americans do it together.

In an ABC “This Week” interview on Sunday, the new White House communications director Kate Bedingfield said the speech “would reflect much of what you heard from her during the election campaign, at know that he thinks we can bring that. He believes that we have to bring this country together, that a united America is the only way for us to deal with the massive crises we are facing. “

She added: “I think you can expect this to be a time when President-elect Biden will really work to try to turn the page on divisions and hatred over the past four years and really present a vision. positive and optimistic for the country, and chart a course – chart a way forward that calls for all of us to work together. “

Kristen Welker is the White House’s chief correspondent for NBC News. Mike Memoli is an NBC News correspondent.