President Biden prioritizes virus, American unity

During his first days in office, President Joe Biden displayed a different approach to the coronavirus pandemic than his predeccesor, and asked Americans for their resilience and unity to confront the deeply divided nation's historic confluence of crises.

Denouncing a national "uncivil war," Biden took the oath at a U.S. Capitol that had been battered by an insurrectionist siege just two weeks earlier.

The President is also doubling down on his mission to unify America after a contentious election year and the violent raid on the US Capitol.

Jonathan Lemire, an Associated Press White House Reporter, says Biden recognizes the severity of the challenges his administration faces and acknowledged that in his inaugural address.

"There was no rosy assessment. There was no attempt to sugarcoat what the nation is going through right now, and certainly the pandemic is is tops on that list," Lemire said. "The virus has killed more than 400,000 Americans. It's killing right now about 4000 a day. This is the deadliest phase yet of this pandemic. Certainly it has also, the virus has laid waste to the nation's economy. So many people are out of work. The numbers are still bad and getting worse."

With a burst of executive orders, President Biden served notice Thursday that America's war on COVID-19 is under new command, promising an anxious nation progress to reduce infections and lift the siege it has endured for nearly a year.

"We should also note the symbolic tone shift here, not just with Dr. Fauci suddenly front and center again, but Biden himself when he signed that first wave of executive orders at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office," Lemire said. "He wore a mask and he is clearly trying to send a signal to Americans. He's asked everyone to mask up for the next hundred days."

The 10 orders signed by Biden are aimed at jump starting his national COVID-19 strategy to increase vaccinations and testing, lay the groundwork for reopening schools and businesses, and immediately increase the use of masks — including a requirement that Americans mask up for travel. One directive calls for addressing health care inequities in minority communities hard hit by the virus.

President Biden plans to take executive action Friday to provide a stopgap measure of financial relief to millions of Americans while Congress begins to consider his much larger $1.9 trillion package to help those affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

"They're trying to work with Republicans in Congress to pass a major coronavirus relief package, which is be much bigger than anything Biden can do on his own through executive action." Lemire said. "Certainly, members of his cabinet have started to be installed. There'll be a wave of confirmations in the coming days. That's their focus here. Far less is what the fate of President Trump might be."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday that she will send the article of impeachment against Donald Trump to the Senate on Monday, triggering the start of the former president's trial on a charge of incitement of insurrection over the deadly Capitol Jan. 6 riot.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer announced Pelosi's intentions for a quick trial on the Senate floor Friday, rejecting Republicans' proposal to push it to mid-February to give Trump more time to prepare his case.

"There is certainly real energy here among Democrats to convict President Trump this time his second impeachment, which also could prevent him from ever running for office again," Lemire said.

Image credits: AP