CSPAN - Presidential Inaugural Events

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Jan. 20, 2025 06:59-10:00 - CSPAN

03:00:54

Presidential Inaugural Events

Participants

Main

john mcardle

cspan 22:42

pedro echevarria

cspan 37:17

Appearances

donald j trump

admin 01:14

mike johnson

rep/r 00:50

tammy thueringer

cspan 02:54

Clips

layne staley [aic]

00:12

louie gohmert

rep/r 00:05

Callers

donna in texas

callers 00:21

ryan in idaho

callers 00:10

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Speaker	Time	Text
unidentified		It's inauguration day for the 47th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump.
		This historic day begins with President-elect Trump attending services at St. John's Episcopal Church.
		He'll meet with President Biden at the White House and will bring you the swearing-in ceremony as Donald Trump takes the oath of office to become president for a second time, followed by his inaugural address.
		Our live coverage begins now on C-SPAN.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		This is C-SPAN's coverage of the inauguration of Donald Trump, the incoming 47th president of the United States.
unidentified		It's the 60th time this event has taken place.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		In this instance, the former 45th president coming back to Washington for a second term.
		Expect a day of special events and follow on C-SPAN and our other platforms.
		But what you won't find are crowds assembled on the National Mall as in years past due to the inauguration ceremonies being moved inside the U.S. Capitol due to weather.
		Stay with us as we present the events of this inauguration day.
		And you can also share your thoughts on the following lines.
		202-748-8000 for Democrats, 202-748-8001 for Republicans, and 202-748-8002 for Independents.
		If you want to make your comments about this inauguration day via text, you can do that at 202-748-8003.
		As always, you can post on our social media sites.
		That's Facebook at facebook.com slash C-SPAN and on X at C-SPANWJ.
		A lot of events being planned, a lot of pomp and circumstance to take place.
		And here to walk us through the events of the day and how things have changed today is John McCartle.
john mcardle ▲ ● ▼		Morning, Pedro.
		Everything's being dictated by the weather today.
		It was President Trump on Friday making that announcement that because of the cold weather, this inauguration is being moved inside inside the Capitol Rotunda.
		So let's start on the weather.
		The National Weather Service forecast for today, as of 6 a.m., it is expected to be bitterly cold here in Washington with wind chills expected in the single digits to tinge and temperatures well below freezing.
		And that's well below the traditional weather on January 20th here in Washington.
		Here's the historic data.
		It's usually somewhere between 30 and 45 degrees, but there have been many inaugurations that have been much colder, including the last time that this inauguration was moved inside back in 1985, Ronald Reagan's inauguration, his second inaugural.
		It was just seven degrees at noon in 1961 for JFK's inauguration, 22 degrees.
		It also snowed about eight inches the night before back in 2009, Barack Obama's first inauguration.
		It was 28 degrees at noon.
		And in 1977, for Jimmy Carter, it was also 28 degrees at noon.
		Congressional media arriving here in Washington, showing the scenes as they've been trying to get to the Capitol security really tight this morning.
		The security barriers start well away from the United States Capitol.
		This is Jake Sherman of Punch Bowl News showing his walk up.
		That's the Capitol Dome way past there in the distance.
		This is Ali Vitale, Congressional Reporter, showing the police have been active throughout the evening here in Washington.
		Let me walk viewers through what's going to happen this morning on Inauguration Day.
		The official events start right around 8.30 this morning.
		You can watch them with us here on C-SPAN.
		President-elect Trump will attend a church service at St. John's Episcopal Church.
		It's an open non-denominational service.
		That's the church that's just across Lafayette Square from the White House.
		That ceremony expected to last about an hour.
		And then at 9:30 Eastern, President Biden and the First Lady will welcome the President-elect and Melania Trump to the White House for the traditional tea, sitting down for tea and coffee before then escorting the president-elect to the United States Capitol.
		And that's when things move down Pennsylvania Avenue to here on Capitol Hill.
		It's about 11.30 p.m. or A.M. Eastern that the vice president will be sworn in, JD Vance.
		And then between about 11:30 and 12, it'll be the swearing in of President-elect Trump.
		He will then be President Trump and give his inaugural address again from inside the Capitol Rotunda, the first president to be sworn inside the Capitol Rotunda in 40 years.
		It was yesterday that Speaker Mike Johnson offered his viewers on X, his followers on X, a preview of what it's going to look like inside the Capitol Rotunda.
		Here's what he had to say.
mike johnson ▲ ● ▼		Right outside the people's house in the People's Rotunda.
mike johnson ▲ ● ▼		As you can see as we pan around, there's a lot of activity being done here in the final moments for the inauguration of the 47th president.
unidentified		We had to kind of call an audible here.
mike johnson ▲ ● ▼		The weather outside is pretty fierce.
unidentified		It would be really even worse tomorrow.
		And so I know there are a lot of people disappointed because they wanted to be out on that national mall.
		We would have had hundreds of thousands of people, but we had to do it this way.
mike johnson ▲ ● ▼		And I think it's better, as President Trump said, because of the weather for everyone and their best interest.
mike johnson ▲ ● ▼		But I just wanted to show you very briefly, this stage here in the rotunda.
unidentified		Many of you, I'm sure, have been here before.
		This is normally a blank and open floor.
		They built this entire apparatus in about a 24-hour period.
mike johnson ▲ ● ▼		The staff's done an extraordinary job having called this audible to do this.
		Has it been done like this in 40 years, since 1985, under Ronald Reagan?
		This one, they tell me, though, will be even more grand.
		So I'll be walking the president out here tomorrow for a glorious day in the beginning of a new golden age in America.
unidentified		The Capitol building, pan up and just show everybody just the grandeur of the place.
		This Capitol Dome is the most recognized symbol in all the world.
		It recognizes, it symbolizes freedom to people everywhere.
mike johnson ▲ ● ▼		And tomorrow, we will celebrate our great republic here and the inauguration of our 47th president, Donald J. Trump.
unidentified		We're so excited.
mike johnson ▲ ● ▼		You can watch along on television, but I know so many of you will be here in spirit.
unidentified		God bless you.
unidentified		Go, America.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		And you can watch along on C-SPAN as we bring you the inauguration of the president.
		Again, you can do that.
		You can follow along on our platforms as well.
		We'll also give you the ability to comment on the events of this day.
		202-748-8000 for Democrats.
		202-748-8001 for Republicans.
		And Independents 202-748-8002.
		Let's hear from Dennis in Wisconsin.
		Democrats line.
		Your first stop.
		Go ahead.
unidentified		Hi.
		I hear about this meme coin that he's bringing out.
		He's not only going to bilk all of his followers, but he's also going to allow for some bribery to happen from China, from who knows where, companies.
		This is the biggest craft of all time.
		I guess that's all I have to say.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Let's hear from Paul.
		Paul in Pennsylvania, Republican line on this inauguration day.
		Paul, go ahead.
unidentified		Yes, this is an amazing day for pretty much all Americans.
		It's letting the world know that America is back, and I'm excited for the next four years.
		But I'm excited.
		And go Trump MAGA.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Again, this is from Ann.
		Ann in North Carolina, Democrats line.
		Hi.
unidentified		Hi, my name is Ann.
		I'm calling to let you know I'm so glad that President Biden interrupted because I think we're going to be in a bad, we're going to be in a bad situation, but we're going to be all right.
		But we're going to be in a bad situation because we have a scammer in the White House.
		And he's going to scam all Americans, and he's going to scam those billionaires, too.
		Bye.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		The current president and the vice president expected to attend inauguration ceremonies.
		Part of that will feature a goodbye to them.
		Again, these are going to be things you see throughout the course of our day from inside the U.S. Capitol.
		Different perspective, as John McCartell was telling you.
		You can comment on those things.
		The incoming president, what you expect over the next four years on this inauguration day, Maryland up next, Republican line.
		This is Gary.
unidentified		Hello.
unidentified		Hi, am I on okay?
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		You are on okay.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Go ahead.
unidentified		Okay.
		I'm very happy about this day with Trump coming in.
		I believe it's not just a good day for America, but the globe, for worldwide.
		I think that he's uncovering something that's deeper than just what we have going on in the United States.
		And he's going to peel back this layer that we've been bamboozled for generations.
		I think as we go forward, this is going to be shown more and more.
		We are not race-based.
		I happen to be a white man.
		I love black people, white people, all kinds of people.
		That's not the problem.
		So I just say he's going to unite everybody.
		And everybody that's a Democrat, please let's join hands because we've got one America.
		America's going to be strong so we don't have globalism.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Okay, Coler, apologies.
		I'll put you on pause for a second.
		I just want to tell folks that this is what's the view of what's outside the Capitol One arena in downtown Washington, D.C.
		The president expected to arrive there later on today after taking the oath of office to greet his supporters.
		That's just some of the scenes that you'll see, including vendors selling their wares outside the Capitol One arena.
unidentified		Caller, go ahead, finish your thought.
		Thank you.
		And regarding outside the arena, let's go.
		Let's make sure we have no attacks on anybody because we're all Americans.
		And again, I love Democrats.
		Let's unite everybody.
		Thank you.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Mason's in Pennsylvania, Independent Line, on this inauguration day.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Go ahead.
unidentified		Good morning, Pedro.
		Happy Snowy President's Day from up here in Philadelphia.
		I just have a question I would like to put out to the Trump supporters because I watch C-SPAN every once in a while and I hear that we need Donald Trump.
		We need him because he's a good businessman.
		He's good with the numbers.
		But the only numbers I've noticed Donald Trump be quite impressive at is his ability to cover 90% of his head with 30% of his hair.
		That's the only impressive numbers I've seen come from the man.
		So, if you guys could tell me some different numbers that I need to be looking at, I would really appreciate it.
		Thank you.
		Happy President's Day.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Part of the lead up to the events of today was the president-elect at a rally at the Capitol One Arena in Washington, D.C.
		This took place on Sunday afternoon.
		You can still find the whole event on C-SPAN.
		But here is President-elect Trump addressing his supporters, giving a preview of what he expects to take place in the next four years.
donald j trump ▲ ● ▼		I'm thrilled to be back with so many friends, supporters, and true American patriots on the eve of taking back our country.
		This is what we're going to do: take back our country.
		Tomorrow at noon, the curtain closes on four long years of American decline, and we begin a brand new day of American strength and prosperity, dignity, and pride.
		Bringing it all back once and for all, we're going to end the reign of a failed and corrupt political establishment in Washington, a failed administration.
		We're not going to take it anymore.
		We're going to stop the invasion of our borders.
		We're going to reclaim our wealth.
		We're going to unlock the liquid gold that's right under our feet.
		Liquid gold.
		We're going to bring back law and order to our cities.
		We're going to restore patriotism to our schools, get radical left woke ideologies the hell out of our military and out of our government.
unidentified		And we are going America great.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Events from Sunday.
		Again, the president will head back to the Capitol One arena later on today for that follow-up rally with his supporters.
		Let's go to Daniel in Rhode Island, Democrats line.
unidentified		Hello.
		Good morning to you.
		I'm just calling because I think we should all unite basically and stop the infighting because we're all Americans.
		We all want to see the president succeed.
		Because when the president succeeds, we all succeed.
		Did I vote for Trump personally?
		No.
		But I think it's something holy.
		I think his rise to power is something that is something that's godly in a sense.
		Not that he's godly, but it's something that we can't control, really.
		It's one of those moments in history.
		And I think we, for me, I'm just sitting back and I'm just hoping for the best at this point and keeping God's word close to me.
		So, yeah.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Abby's next in Idaho, Republican line.
unidentified		Hi, yeah.
		So I'm a young woman.
		I just got into college.
		And, you know, something that I've been really concerned about is, you know, the economy.
		Like, what is it going to look like to buy a house and to like support myself when I graduate college or like even in college and like finding like healthy food?
		I think the Make America Healthy Again program is going to really change the way that we eat and others to become healthier and happier Americans.
		So I'm really excited to see what Trump does with economy and food.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		In a normal circumstance, what you're seeing there, the Capitol Mall will be full of people on this inauguration day from last week.
		Those ceremonies being moved indoors, as you heard John McCartle tell you earlier about the weather, the wind factor, all those other things moving the shot or at least the event inside the Capitol Center.
		You'll see that.
		That's Union Station.
		Train station here in Washington, D.C. also has stores in it, but also will be gathering crowds of people, the president's supporters, the president-elect supporters, as the day goes on from that to the U.S. Capitol, expected to be full of people welcoming the 47th president of the United States since they can't go to the mall to do that.
		We'll show you these things throughout the course of the morning as our cameras pick it up.
		Later on, you'll be able to see inside the Capitol Rotunda where the ceremony will take place.
		That's the outside, obviously, there, as we show you that during the course of the day.
		Let's hear from Percy.
		Percy in Minnesota, Independent Line.
unidentified		Hey, C-SPAN, thanks for taking my call.
		I just want to say to the American public that I'm somewhat excited and I'm also worried about the Trump presidency and what it will bring for the next four years.
		One of the things I'm worried about, and I think millions of Americans can be worried about, is presidential power.
		President Trump will be the, I guess, second president who will live under this Supreme Court ruling that says the president can, if I'm correct, commit criminal actions so long as it's an official act.
		I'm not sure what the Supreme Court even means when they say official act versus unofficial act, but we do know the Supreme Court has greenlit and approved that the president can engage in criminal activity and not be charged during his post-presidency.
		So that's something that I'm worried about is the extent of presidential power, what's going to happen under Trump presidency.
		The other thing that I'm worried about is conservative backlash.
		A lot of people on the internet, on social media, and in real life talked about wokeism.
		I'm not sure what they mean by wokeism.
		I don't really grasp the term.
		But you have a lot of conservatives who are coming to power who want, it seems like they have a spirit of vengeance and they want to get a type of payback against the left.
		I'm worried about that as well.
		I'm also worried about the extent of these ICE raids, if people are going to perish in the attempt of eluding ICE, how violent they will be.
		There's a lot of things I'm worried about, but I'm also excited that the economy might pick up.
		I think the last thing I'll say, thank you, C-SPAN, for taking my call.
		Okay.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Percy in Minnesota there, he referenced the Supreme Court.
		It was the current president up until noon today, President Biden.
		It was on Wednesday, the Hill reporting that he said it should be clear that an amendment to the Constitution that makes clear presidents are not immune from crimes committed in office using his farewell address in part to swipe at a recent Supreme Court ruling.
		Quote, he said, we need to amend the Constitution to make clear that no president, no president is immune from crimes he or she commits while in office.
		The president's power is not unlimited.
		It is not absolute and it shouldn't be, he said in those primetime remarks from the Oval Office.
		The current president, looking up until about noon today when the 47th president gets sworn in.
		That's where he will head later on today, the White House, for a coffee and a tea with JD Vance, his vice president and others.
		Before those ceremonies take place, again, we'll follow along and show you what happens as we go throughout the day.
		And here with more information on the day and its events is John McCartell.
john mcardle ▲ ● ▼		Pedro, let me just take viewers about five hours into the future at about noon Eastern time.
		What's going to happen?
		It's the swearing in first of the 47th President of the United States, those words in Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution.
		President-elect Trump will say, I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of the President of the United States and will do to the best of my ability preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.
		With that, he becomes the 47th President, and then he'll give an inaugural address.
		We don't know the exact length of that address, though here's some recent inaugural addresses for comparison.
		In 2021, President Joe Biden's inaugural address, about 2,500 words.
		Donald Trump's first inaugural was much shorter than that, about 1,400 words.
		Barack Obama giving a 2,000-word inaugural address in 2013 and about a 2,400-word inaugural address back in 2009.
		After that inaugural address, let me walk viewers through what's going to happen the rest of the afternoon here in Washington.
		About 1230 will be the official farewell ceremony and departure of then former President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
		They will leave the Capitol.
		Typically, they leave via helicopter.
		We'll see how it plays out this afternoon.
		Around 1 p.m. Eastern, the president heads to the signing room in the Capitol.
		It's the president's room.
		It's right off the Senate chamber, traditionally signing nominations, memorandums, proclamations, but especially executive orders.
		We're hearing lots of executive orders, scores of executive orders on tap today.
		And we'll walk you through a little bit later on this morning what they involve.
		At about 1.30 p.m. this afternoon, the traditional inaugural luncheon attended by the president and the vice president and their guests.
		That'll take place in the Capitol.
		Statuary Hall is where that will be.
		Around 3 p.m., the presidential parade begins, and it'll be very different this year, as you said, Pedro, taking place at the Capitol One Arena.
		That procession moved inside, and the president will be there with his supporters.
		That's 7th Street in Washington, D.C., about seven blocks away from the United States Capitol.
		And around 5 p.m. today, the president will then return to the White House for more official signings.
		More executive orders are expected then.
		And around 8 p.m. today, President Trump will attend and deliver remarks at the various inaugural balls.
		It's the Commander-in-Chief Ball, the Liberty Inauguration Ball, and the Starlight Ball, all happening today in a very, very busy day here in Washington.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		You heard John talk about that seven blocks away where the Capitol One arena is, where the president is going to address his supporters out amongst his supporters is C-SPAN's Tammy Thuringer.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		Good morning, Pedro.
		You can see right now the shot.
		It's going down the block.
		I don't know exactly how far it's going down because we haven't made it that far.
		We stopped to talk with people in the crowd who are waiting.
		They're still a few blocks away from the arena, but right now I have somebody waiting on the inside of this fence.
		The people who are on the other side are those who are going to be getting into the arena later today.
		And I have John here from Tennessee.
		Hi, John.
unidentified		Hi.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		John, tell us, how long have you been standing out here?
unidentified		We got out here about 4.30 in the morning.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		And where in Tennessee are you from?
unidentified		Columbia.
unidentified		About 45 minutes south of Nashville.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		So are you used to these kind of temperatures?
unidentified		Well, I was born and raised in Denver.
		So yeah.
		I mean, it's not quite swimming weather, but it's not bad.
		It's not bad.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		And you said that you have actually done this before.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		You've been to D.C. for an inauguration before.
unidentified		Yeah, 2016.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		And how is this year different?
unidentified		Well, of course, then it was on the mall, you know, and so it was, it had a very different feel to it with that.
		But actually, the security here is a little better.
		It's calmer.
		It's just enjoyable in its own way.
		You know, it's different, but it's nice.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		You're from Tennessee.
		The people behind you you've made friends with.
		Where are they from?
		And what have you all been talking about for the past few hours?
unidentified		Ohio, California, Colorado, different places.
		Yesterday, we actually had a Prince, a legit prince from Cameroon behind us.
		We were talking with him, and then he got interviewed by people.
		He's the nicest guy.
		And so you just never know who you're going to meet, you know, over the course because there we got in line at 10.30 and we got here about five in the afternoon.
		We didn't make it in.
		So it's just, just being a part of it is a good time.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		And were you already in D.C. when you found out it was going to be moved indoors?
unidentified		I think we were on our way, maybe, or perhaps here.
		I think we got here Saturday.
		I forget what the timing of it was, but we kind of assumed there might be a lot of short notice changes.
		And so we were just happy.
		Whatever happened, happened.
		We're just going to be here and put ourselves in a place to have fun.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		And what are you hoping to see today?
unidentified		I'm looking forward to seeing the ceremony itself, that continuity, just being a part of that and having the people around you.
		It was the same thing in 2016, just being a part of it and kind of the community that you have with that.
		It's a good time.
		And then whatever happens after that will be fun.
		Plus, it'll be warm.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		John, thank you so much for your time.
unidentified		Hey, thank you so much.
unidentified		You guys take care.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		We'll be hearing from various people throughout the course of the morning who are gathered in and around Washington, D.C. Normally, offices would be open on this Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Day.
		However, federal office is being closed in Washington, D.C. and across the United States.
		Let's hear from Christian in Spokane, Washington, Democrats line.
		Go ahead.
unidentified		Hi there.
unidentified		Can you hear me?
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		You're on.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Go ahead.
layne staley [aic] ▲ ● ▼		Yes.
unidentified		Brilliant.
		I just want to comment on what I believe Percy from Minnesota said on the Independent line a little bit ago.
		I myself haven't voted for Donald Trump in any of the previous elections, mainly because I'm scared of his authoritarian, seemingly leaning style of government.
		But I think similar to his first inauguration, we should take a deep breath and kind of try to embrace him nationally, Democrats, Independents, and of course Republicans.
		Brian knows as he would label him in his first administration.
		But my main thought on Democrats embracing him is if we help him on things such as the economy and trade and all these other issues, we might actually be able to stabilize our economy post-COVID.
		Of course, nobody really knows what's going on economically, but maybe we'll be able to work with him.
		Hopefully, what I've been seeing on the news this morning of his second inaugural here being less of a calamity speech like he gave in 2017 and more of a unifying speech.
		I'm actually genuinely excited to see what he has to offer the country.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Can I ask because you reflected that sentiment, the previous caller reflected that sentiment, what do you think is the change behind the change in sentiment?
unidentified		For the Democratic Party, you mean?
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Yes.
unidentified		I think it might have something to do with the fact that we got absolutely clobbered in this last election.
		We lost all seven sling states.
		And I believe if I've been seeing the reporting correctly, all of other states here in Washington leaned further Republican than they have, at least in my lifetime.
		I'm only 28 years old.
		So I think he might be right in the sense he got somewhat of a mandate.
		I haven't looked at the hard numbers of the election since early December, late November, but I think that might be the reason.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Okay, Christian there in Spokane.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Let's hear from Mike in Ohio, Independent Line.
unidentified		Hi, how are you doing today?
		I just want to say, congratulations to President Trump and Joe Biden for both doing a wonderful job on getting the hostages back.
		I think that they both played a great part in it.
		Joe Biden did a great negotiation, and Donald Trump basically put him on front street.
		Have a nice day.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		The president, the current president Joe Biden, in the last series of weeks, issuing pardons on a variety of fronts.
		CNN reporting that as of today, the president plans to issue pardons for General Mark Milley, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and members of Congress who served on the committee investigating the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.
		The pardons, which come in the final hours of his presidency, come after President-elect Donald Trump vowed retribution for those he viewed as opposing his first presidency.
		Quote, our nation relies on dedicated, selfless public servants every day.
		They are the lifeblood of our democracy.
		Going on to say, yet alarmingly, public servants have been subjected to ongoing threats and intimidation for faithfully discharging their duties, and it goes on from there.
		You can find more online about these new pardons being issued by President Biden.
		Sam is next.
		Sam in Texas, Republican line on this inauguration day.
		Go ahead.
		Sam in Bay City, Texas.
unidentified		Hello.
unidentified		Hello.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		You're on.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Go ahead.
unidentified		Hi.
		I'm Michelle from Mattagorda, Texas area.
		I live on the coast.
		I am so proud of President Trump and JD Vance.
		I just hope that they can keep men out of the women's sports, help our homeless veterans.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Okay.
unidentified		I am so excited to have this world change to keep us from going into World War III.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Normally, our viewers who watch this program through a variety of platforms called Within the United States, sometimes outside the United States.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Gus is there and Cutter, Doha Cutter, Democrats line.
unidentified		Hello, everybody.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		How are you watching us, by the way?
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		How are you watching us, if I may ask?
unidentified		YouTube.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Okay, go ahead.
unidentified		Okay, so I give Donald Trump credit.
		You know, I'm a longtime Democrat, and I saw a handful of my friends and family vote for Trump this time around.
		And which never happened.
		You know, the first time around, we gave, you know, we didn't give Trump that much credit.
		You know, when it was time to vote, we voted for Biden.
		But when it came down to voting for Harris, no one was voting for Harris because she was saying that if you vote for me in office, I'll do XYZ.
		It's like, you're already in office.
		You're not doing anything.
		So we kind of knew what Trump had to offer.
		So I'm really, you know, I give them credit, you know, and I'm really surprised that our party, a majority of people, voted for Republican.
		And you'll never see that.
		So I give them credit.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		What kind of work do you do there in Qatar?
unidentified		I don't, I don't do work out here.
unidentified		I'm visiting my wife.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Gotcha.
unidentified		But I do IT work in California.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Gotcha.
		Gus there in Doha Cutter.
		We'll go to Laurel.
		Laurel is in Oklahoma, Independent Line.
		Hello, Laurel.
unidentified		Hi, how are you?
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Fine, thank you.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Go ahead.
unidentified		I just want to say that I am so grateful and I thank God every single day for President Trump and the tenacity that he has and the strength that he's shown for this country and the people that he loves.
		And I'm a little overwhelmed right now.
		I'm sorry.
		I'm somebody.
		Well, sorry.
		I am taking care of my autistic brother.
		We just lost both of our parents last year, and I feel like President Trump is going to help people like me and my brother who don't help anybody else because he understands like real life struggles.
		Sorry, I'm trying not to cry.
		I'm just, I'm just, I'm so grateful that he won, and I'm so thankful to God every single day in Jesus' name.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Okay, Laurel there in Oklahoma giving us a call.
		Our show will continue on throughout the morning and give you the front seat, so to speak, to today's inauguration ceremony held inside.
		Blair House, as it's commonly known, which is close to the White House, is where the president and his team is staying as they prepare for the transition to take place later on today.
		We'll see him come out and the incoming First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump, and others to start their day, that starting with the church service at St. John's, as you heard John McCartle tell you about earlier.
		And then we will follow you along.
		And speaking of which, John, to give us an update.
john mcardle ▲ ● ▼		Pedro, on one of your callers earlier, was talking about the theme of this inaugural address that President Trump will be giving.
		And it will be President Trump.
		He'll take the oath and then give the inaugural address.
		The plenty of speculation about what that theme will be reporting already, as there always is on these inauguration days.
		Let me take you through some of the headlines.
		First from the Los Angeles Times, they write Trump's first inaugural speech was American Carnage.
		And he says this time it'll be different.
		This is the headline from NPR.
		Trump says the theme of this inaugural address will be unity.
		And it was the Wall Street Journal that got some of the excerpts of the inaugural address, calling for a revolution of common sense is what he'll say in his speech, excerpts of which the Wall Street Journal received the incoming president will proclaim, quote, a new era of national success.
		We'll see how long that inaugural address goes, though it will be under the Capitol Dome, so people won't be waiting outside in the cold as they usually do when it's on the west front of the United States Capitol.
		So we'll see if that means the warmth of Capitol Dome will mean the president will go on a little bit longer.
		We'll find out.
		But we do know that afterwards, he's set to sign a slew of executive orders and plenty of reporting of that just in the past 24 hours.
		This is the Hill newspaper headline.
		Trump plans a barrage of day one executive orders on border energy and the federal workforce.
		Fox News reporting it could be more than 200 executive actions on day one and Punchbowl News with a wrap-up of what some of those will be.
		On government reform, Donald Trump wants to issue an executive order that provides a process for removing insubordinate employees, rewriting the federal hiring rules, issuing an executive order on the Department of Government efficiency and so on on energy.
		He wants to halt spending on the Green New Deal and other climate-related priorities from the Biden administration, speed up the construction on pipelines, orders dealing with energy permitting and coal and natural gas, and then on immigration and the border.
		The president will classify drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.
		He wants to deploy military forces to the border, if needed, stiffen interior enforcement, reestablish the Remain in Mexico policy, and so on.
		So there's going to be a lot happening today when it comes to these executive actions, and we'll keep track of them for you.
		And then, of course, it's the president's cabinet that he's looking to have confirmed as soon as possible.
		We're expecting a vote today on Marco Rubio for the State Department for Secretary of State.
		The Senate comes in at 4.30, and there's several Senate committee votes planned, but it takes a floor vote to be officially confirmed.
		And right now, we're only expecting that Marco Rubio will be the one with the floor vote.
		That could change, though, when the Senate does come in at 4.30.
		And we know the schedule for the rest of the evening.
		So a long day here in Washington.
		We hope you stay with C-SPAN throughout the day.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Variety of platforms.
		We'll show you pictures like the one you're seeing now of Blair House.
		We can hear what you're saying on social media as well.
		This is Vicki Mayofield from our Facebook posting saying we have finally a president that will put country over power.
		Thanks be to God.
		Others saying this is Moses from Facebook saying it's not too long before we know the damage that Trump has inflicted on the U.S. economy and alliance.
		Kareem Utley from Facebook, a joyful day for some, a sad day for others.
		I think it marks the beginning of the end, but let's hope I'm wrong.
		And then others commenting on our Facebook page.
		You want to do so?
		You can do so.
		Facebook.com/slash C-SPAN is how you do that.
		On X, it's at C-SPANWJ.
		Brandon in Kentucky, Republican line.
		Go ahead.
unidentified		Hi, it's nice to meet you.
		It's a great honor and excitement to be on the air.
		I just tuned in about 20 minutes ago.
		I want to say that as a Republican, a more traditional Republican, I have mixed feelings right now.
		Some excitement, some nervous, obviously.
		The big thing I want to say is I have major concern that the Senate won't confirm President Trump's Health and Human Services Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
		And if you watched his speech this summer, he wants to get to the bottom of what's caused so many infectious diseases in America and make America healthy again.
		And I'm concerned not only will he try to be stopped, but that there will be others who try to stop President Trump from doing what's best for the country.
		I mean, those are my big concerns right now, even though they are not unaccompanied by concerns about the president's temperament and behavior.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Max up next in Miami, Democrats line.
unidentified		Yes, yes, good morning.
		Good morning.
		I just want to say that Donald Trump will be the last president of the United States.
		Thank you.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Okay.
		Karen, Karen in Georgia.
		I'm sorry, Karen in Kentucky, Independent Line.
unidentified		Hi.
		Hi.
		So I'm curious why none of the main media stations are talking about the fact that on stage last night during his rally, he said that Elon Musk messed around with the tabulation voting machines and then they won Pennsylvania.
		So basically, those of us in the know have known that it was a stolen election and that the tabulation machines were met with.
		Jackie Singh, other computer security experts have sent messages to Vice President and the President about this.
		But the proof is in the pudding.
		He admitted it on stage last night.
		And I'm so surprised.
		Fox News did air a minute of it and ABC News on their TikTok showed a clip of it.
		But basically, he admitted that Elon Musk and with all the other countries that have accused Elon Musk of messing with their elections and even like Romania is having to redo their elections because of Elon, why not?
		More is not being reported about.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Okay, you and our other viewers can see that whole event from yesterday featuring the incoming president of the United States.
		If you go to our website, if you go to our app, watch that whole thing for yourself and everything that took place during that event.
		Pennsylvania Avenue is what we were just showing you just a little while ago down the street from the U.S. Capitol, the U.S. Capitol, the focus typically on an inauguration day, but that would be outside, not so much this time around.
		That's the National Mall where people would normally be watching from video screens if they were further back, up close and personal if they were able to do so.
		But everything moves indoors today.
		A frigid temperature is expected, very cold wind to blow through, dropping those temperatures, forcing the inside event of today's inauguration.
		Regardless, you can still watch it on C-SPAN on our variety of platforms as we go throughout the day.
		We're going to keep going, taking your calls and watching as we see the incoming 47, the incoming president of the United States go through a series of events before taking the oath of office.
		Currently now there at Blair House, expected to leave in a little while for that service at St. John's Church, expected a little later on to go to the White House for coffee and tea, and then making his way to the U.S. Capitol.
		Here's Annette in Georgia, Republican line.
		Good morning.
unidentified		Good morning.
		I just wanted to say I'm excited as a Republican and I appreciate you taking my call.
		I just want to say God bless USA and our incoming president and prayers for a successful four years ahead.
		Thank you very much.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Shirley joins us next in Connecticut.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Democrats line.
unidentified		Good morning, Patrick.
		Good morning, America.
		I am so surprised that some of the people who think that Trump will ever work with anybody, the man has never listened to anyone, even Dr. Fauci, when he was telling him how serious COVID was.
		And so I am a little bit skeptical on how he will mass deport people who are working in this country, probably going to school in this country, their children, and everyone else who contributes to America's economy.
		And I am annoyed with the fact that civics is not offered in schools anymore for the young people like the 20-year-old man who called and said that he thinks that he's going to work with someone and for those who thought that Kamala Harris could do presidential work when she was just the vice president.
		And so I'm just, you know, hopeful and prayerful that America will survive this presidency.
		And so I'm looking forward to moving forward, whether or not it's good or bad.
		So my prayer is for America and for us to sustain our progress in this country and for us to love one another and not look down on people coming from other countries.
		And with that, Pedro, I hope that this inauguration will put a new perspective in President Trump's mind and that he will begin to work with Democrats and others and not dispel the hatred of people who are different and from different countries that come here to work with America because I believe Elon Musk is from a different country,
		his family, and even Donald Trump's family is from a different country.
		Okay.
		Okay.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		That's Shirley there in Connecticut.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		We're back to John McCartell.
john mcardle ▲ ● ▼		Pedro Caller just a second ago mentioned Anthony Fauci.
		I did want to note some news this morning concerning Anthony Fauci and others out of the White House.
		And I'm talking about the Joe Biden White House, the Associated Press reporting that President Biden has pardoned Fauci and Mark Million in an effort to guard against potential revenge by Donald Trump.
		This is the lead saying that President Biden issued those pardons as well to members of the House committee that investigated the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, using the extraordinary powers of his office in the final hours to guard against potential revenge.
		And that was a quote, revenge.
		Here's more from the statement from the Biden administration.
		The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgement that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as admission of guilt of any offense.
		Our nation owes these public servants a debt of gratitude for their tireless commitment to our country.
		The statement out of the White House this morning, more news on a newsy day here in Washington.
		President Biden will sit down for coffee and tea with President-elect Trump before the inauguration ceremonies.
		It was yesterday that President Biden was in South Carolina, a place where his path to the White House began in the primaries before the 2020 election.
		President Biden with this tweet yesterday saying that they wanted to be in South Carolina.
		They started their morning in church to reflect on the power of faith and then went to the International African American Museum there with Jim Clyburn, Democrat from South Carolina, and Jim Clyburn tweeting out this picture of himself and President Biden saying he couldn't be more grateful for the president for spending his final day in South Carolina and Jim Clyburn, one of the early backers of Joe Biden that helped him win South Carolina,
		propelling him to the presidency in 2020.
		And there's one of the final shots of Joe Biden's presidency.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Again, we will continue on throughout the morning and also give you a ground level view of what's going on in and around Washington, D.C. Here's Tammy Thuringer.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		Hi, Pedro.
		We made it a block down from where we were earlier.
		We found more people.
		They're literally, again, behind these gates waiting to get in line.
		Right now, we have some folks from North Carolina.
		I have Zach and Keith and Gloria.
		Welcome, you guys.
		What time did you get in line this morning?
unidentified		6 a.m.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		And why did you want to be out here today?
unidentified		Because it's a historical moment for the United States.
unidentified		And we're here to watch history happen.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		Gloria, is this the first time you guys have been to an inauguration?
unidentified		No, we went to the inauguration in 2016 as well.
unidentified		Keith and I did.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		And what's the difference this year?
unidentified		I don't know.
		It's colder.
		It's very crowded, just like the last time.
		Last time we got in front of Trump Hotel, so that was very nice.
		But yeah, it's very crowded.
		We've been here very early.
		We got up at three this morning.
		We're very excited.
		Can't wait.
		There's a lot less protesting this time than there was last time.
		I think people just seem a lot more unified than there were last time.
		No, you know, groups of women grab them, but you know what?
		It seems a lot more unified.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		There was another event last night at the same location.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		Were you guys able to go to that?
unidentified		No, we weren't.
unidentified		Unfortunately not.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		And Zach, if you weren't here, it sounds like last time.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		What do you want to see today?
unidentified		I just want to see my future president tell us what he's going to do good, and hopefully he can succeed in doing all that.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		Zach, how old are you?
unidentified		15.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		You're 15, so you couldn't vote.
		What do you want to see President-elect Trump or soon be President Trump again?
		What do you want to see him focus on?
		What's an issue that's important to you?
unidentified		Well, one issue that is pretty important to me, there are some weird stuff that goes on in my school nowadays, like the bathroom situations, like men going into women's bathrooms and stuff.
		I think all that's messed up.
		It needs to be fixed immediately.
		And with women's sports, I think him keeping men out of women's sports and women out of men's sports is super important.
		And those are the things I want to see him do.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		Keith and Gloria, what about you?
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		What do you want to see your future president focus on?
unidentified		Safety of Americans, prosperity, Americanism, everything.
		Economy.
		Everything that Zachary said is great, too.
		I agree with all of that.
		Pro-life, Christianity, religion, personal rights.
		I mean, all of those things.
		Everything Trump says.
		I mean.
		Energy independent.
		Drill, baby, drill.
		So, yeah, we do have to go.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		We're going to let you go.
		The line is moving again.
		So thank you for your time.
		We appreciate it.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		In Washington, D.C., downtown D.C., that's where people are gathered.
		Some with hopes to enter and see the events of later today when the 47th president, Donald Trump, comes visit them.
		Some will be outside.
		Some are already lined up on Pennsylvania Avenue, which we've been showing you throughout the course of the morning, including security and those preparations for the president-elect, the current president, and others to head to the U.S. Capitol to go inside to participate in those inaugural activities.
		And C-SPAN's will be showing you that all day long.
		Mary in Minnesota, Independent Line.
		Hi.
unidentified		Hello.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		You're on.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Go ahead.
unidentified		Yes, I'm just so disappointed in those people that want to, you know, go high and not low, and that they can't bring themselves to come to this event when everybody else showed up for their event, that being Michelle Obama.
		I think it's disgusting.
		And I hope she has a very sad day today.
		And that's all I have to say.
		Thank you.
		Bye.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Alicia, Republican line in Florida.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		You're next up.
unidentified		Hi.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Go ahead, John.
unidentified		Hi, my name's Alicia and I'm here in Washington, D.C. this morning with people in our party, the chairman from OkaTrobe's wife, a couple of my Republican club members.
		We came up here in this freezing cold weather to support Donald J. Trump.
		We worked diligently for him in 2020.
		We didn't win then, but boy, we had a grand slam this time.
		Our county had the most highest numbers we've ever had in voting with the younger people, the early vote.
		And we did it.
		We worked 24-7 for Donald J. Trump.
		We are so blessed and honored to have him as our coming president today.
		We cannot stand out in that line.
		We stood out yesterday for like five hours trying to get in to the rally and we couldn't make it in.
		It was too packed.
		So we came home and watched it and we were so blessed.
		We came to our hotel.
		Today we will be at an inaugural ball.
		I'm not going to say which one, but I want to tell America, you have got a man that truly cares for this country.
		He's going to stop this illegal border crossing.
		He's going to get America back on track.
		The young people have got a future in this country.
		We have fought so hard for this younger generation to have a future of being a free country.
		We ask all the young people in this country to please stand up and become active in your future.
		Republicans are for God and country.
		We stand for grassroots values.
		We stand for love of our flag.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Okay.
unidentified		Love of our country.
		And we are honored.
		And God bless America.
		All right.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		That's Alicia there.
		That's Alicia there in Florida.
		Let's hear from Jay in Louisiana Democrats line.
		Go ahead.
unidentified		Hey, it's been great to hear from all the previous callers, especially the first few Democrats talking about unity and coming together.
		And the last Florida caller, we talked about, you know, young people getting involved.
		It's really going to be a testament to this race.
		You know, I'm with the young Democrats of Louisiana.
		I'm the president of that chapter.
		And, you know, we're working and we're always, you know, extending that olive branch, reaching across the aisle and trying to work with Republicans.
		But what we've seen thus far and what I'm kind of scared for for this Trump presidency and we have the Republican majority in Congress is them, you know, Democrats still trying to do the best for their constituents, extending that handout, trying to reach across the aisle.
		But some people, some of the Republicans feel like working with a Democrat is betraying their party.
		So we're really trying to, you know, still get our best work done, but we're going to be counting on Republicans to, you know, stand above and potentially have a party.
		And, you know, we're the young people, we're getting more involved and we're staying engaged.
		So if you're a young voter listening, make sure you stay engaged and get it active.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Jay there in Louisiana, during the course of the morning, we will tell you about the White House itself, how it changes over when a presidency changes.
		In this case, the current resident, President Biden, his wife, the First Lady Joe Biden, that transition right after the oath of office around noon today will now then become the White House of the 47th president, Donald Trump, and his wife, the First Lady, Velania Trump.
		A big transition process in there, but we'll learn about that during the course of the morning as well.
		So stay close to C-SPAN for that.
		Kendra in Alberta, Canada, Independent Line.
		You're next up.
unidentified		Hi.
unidentified		I just want to say that the tariffs at Donald Trump's imposing on Canada or that he plans to, I think is ridiculous.
ryan in idaho ▲ ● ▼		I mean, during World War I and World War II, a whole lot of Canadians died beside Americans, you know, during D-Day and many other operations.
unidentified		When 9-11 happened, all the flights when airspace was shut down in the U.S., Google Gander, Newfoundland, because we hosted about 10,000 American people.
		We fed them, we housed them, and everything else until they got back on their planes to go home and it was safe.
		We did that.
		And all of a sudden, we're being treated like any other third world country.
		That's ridiculous.
		It's like you guys are being, you're about to be run by an autocrat.
		It's like Julius Caesar is about to take power, except it's Julius Caesar with Caligula overtones.
		And I'm just going to say batten down hatches because if the American people think that this guy is for them, you're kidding yourself.
		All you are is fodder for this guy, and he just wants you so he can sell his overpriced charge keys.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Okay, that's a caller from Alberta, Canada.
		You're seeing the Washington Monument.
		You may have noticed that those flags at half-staff, this was from President Biden ordering flags around Washington, D.C. at half-staff to commemorate the passing of Jimmy Carter.
		It's the House Speaker, Mike Johnson, ordering today and just today for flags to be flown at full staff for the inauguration participants ceremonies.
		So expect that.
		Again, this was, we were going to see more activities outside, and now they've moved inside.
		But regardless, Inauguration Day is still taking place, and C-SPAN brings you that coverage, showing you things throughout the morning, various cameras, giving you perspectives in and around Washington, D.C. Charles is in Louis, sorry, Alabama, Republican line.
unidentified		Charles, go ahead.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Charles in Louisiana in Alabama.
unidentified		Hello.
unidentified		Hey, can you hear me?
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Yes, you're on.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Go ahead.
unidentified		All right, brother.
		I just want to give a positive message this morning.
		Not just for Republicans, Democrats, Independents.
		I want to make everybody, I want to hope everybody is great.
		Everybody eats.
		Everybody got good gas.
		Everybody's got good benefits and health.
		And I just want everything to be positive.
		I'm a construction worker from South Alabama, and it's cold out here today.
		My guys are huddled around here in the office, and we're listening to you.
		And we just want to make everything positive and hope there's a peaceful transaction, and everybody, you know, gets along well.
		That's all I had to say, brother.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Johnny in Los Angeles, Democrats line.
unidentified		Good morning.
		I'm just really, really sad today, thinking about what the next 48 months are going to look like.
		Yeah, I'm counting the months instead of the years.
		This man has no agenda for people of color, even downtrodden white people who have decided to cut their own throat rather than vote for a qualified African-American woman.
		I'm just really, really sad.
		I'm really sad that this inauguration spectacle is taking place on the day that was designated to celebrate Dr. King's life.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Los Angeles, the president-elect wants becoming president.
		He's reportedly expected to travel there later on this week to see the impact of wildfires there.
		So stay tuned for news on that in the starting days of the second Trump administration.
		Carolyn in New Hampshire, Independent Line.
		Hi.
unidentified		Hi, sir.
		I just wanted to say I'm excited for today.
		I think this is actually going to be a very good step for the country.
		And I'm looking forward to what President Trump has said in regards to getting out of the United Nations, getting out of NATO, and freeing the J-Sixers.
		And I do hope the best for this country and to be unified.
		And Psalm 133, God rejoices when his children come together in unity.
		So I'm just hoping for the best.
		I think it's going to be a good step for this country.
		And I don't believe that we are enemies with Canada.
		I don't think that Trump thinks that at all.
		I just think that he's trying to make the most for this country and that he is the master of what he calls the art of the deal and that it will work out for both countries.
		He wants to rebuild a lot of things that have been damaged with what we feel is the last four years of difficulty.
		So I just hope for the best.
		And God bless you, sir, and God bless Martin Luther King Day.
		Thank you.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Both those events taking place on this day.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		And to tell us a little more about what to expect as the day goes on, back to John McCartle.
john mcardle ▲ ● ▼		Pedro, the colour earlier talked about those who aren't attending the inauguration today and plenty of reporting about those who are and aren't.
		Here's the Asbury Park Press out of New Jersey, along with former First Lady Michelle Obama.
		Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi won't be in attendance today for Donald Trump's second inauguration.
		Published reports indicate that Chinese President Xi Jinping will send an envoy in his place today.
		Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban plans on skipping the second inauguration, they write.
		Reportedly, several living presidents will attend Trump's inauguration, including Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, but each will be skipping the customary inaugural lunch that takes place afterwards inside the United States Capitol.
		Here's one more bit of news from thehill.com.
		Mike Pence expected to attend the Trump inauguration.
		It was Mike Pence who was sworn in as vice president, of course, in Donald Trump's first inauguration.
		And it is JD Vance who'll be sworn in today.
		JD Vance will be sworn in by Brett Kavanaugh.
		That'll be about 11:30 when Justice Kavanaugh will do the honors when it comes to the vice president.
		Donald Trump will be sworn in closer to 11:45 a.m. Eastern is what we're expecting.
		And Donald Trump, when he is sworn in, will be sworn in with his hand placed on two Bibles, one given to him by his mother, and the other one, the Lincoln Bible.
		That was the Bible used by President Abraham Lincoln in his 1861 inauguration.
		The Lincoln Bible, also used by Barack Obama, in both of his inaugurations.
		And Donald Trump also used the Lincoln Bible and his family Bible in his first inauguration.
		A picture there, the Lincoln Bible in the box, the red box that Melania Trump is holding in that picture.
		Here's another angle on the photo and of the Bibles.
		Tom Homan, Donald Trump's pick for his Border Czar, showing the swearing-in ceremony there.
		Again, that's expected around noon Eastern.
		One other picture for you, if you want to see it up close, you can go to the Library of Congress website and see the image and the background on the Lincoln Bible.
		This will be, once again, used today to swear in a President of the United States.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Laura in Indiana, Republican line.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Laura in Indiana, Republican line.
unidentified		Hello.
		This is Laura.
		And I'm just calling because I just am so excited that Donald Trump won the election.
		I was waiting for this for the last four years.
		I wanted him to win the last election, and he got screwed out of that.
		So I'm just very happy that he's going to be in and everything because he should have been in four years ago.
		And this, And he, I know he's going to make America great again.
		I have all the confidence in the world in him.
		I know that if anybody can fix our country, Trump can.
		And I'm just very, very happy about it.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Several blocks away from our studios that you're seeing.
		This is a different section of Washington.
		And as you're watching that, let's hear from Stanley in North Carolina Democrats line.
unidentified		And good morning.
		I just want to say, I hope everybody bows their head in prayer for the coming loss of a great nation.
		Thank you.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Stanley and North Carolina joining us on the phone.
		You can continue to join us on the phone all morning long.
		We will continue to bring you coverage up until the inauguration ceremonies.
		And then you can continue watching those on our many platforms, 202-748-8000 for Democrats, 202-748-8001 for Republicans, and 202-748-8002 for Independents.
		You can always text us your thoughts on Inauguration Day at 202-748-8003.
		During the course of our coverage today, featuring guests, presidential historians and the like, to give some perspective on what to watch for today.
		The first guest of the morning, Tevi Troy, a presidential historian, also a senior fellow at the Ronald Reagan Institute, joining us on Zoom.
		Mr. Troy, good morning.
unidentified		Thanks so much for having me.
		I love Inauguration Day.
		I love the peaceful transfer of power, and I love America.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Talk about the idea of the transfer.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		We see a lot of events today, but under it all, this idea of transfer, why is it important?
unidentified		Well, the most important election, I know every politician says every election is the most important election, but the most important election in history, I believe, was the third American election where John Adams gives up the presidency after losing to Thomas Jefferson.
		And I mean, I guess it's the fourth because Jefferson was the third president.
		And he was not happy about losing the election, Adams.
		He didn't even go to the inauguration.
		But he leaves peacefully.
		And that, he didn't take the army.
		He didn't say, I'm going to fight.
		He didn't say, I'm going to prevent this from happening.
		He said, I am going to move on to let the next person take over.
		And I think that was the most important election in our history.
		It established this enormously important tradition.
		And it showed that this is the way that we in civilized democratic nations transfer power from one side to the other.
		The people rule, the people speak, and then one president peacefully leaves and the next president peacefully comes in.
		And I think it's the greatest thing ever.
		I've been to five inaugurations in person.
		Today it was, I guess, a little cold.
		I'm also doing some of these type of shows.
		But I think inaugurations are great.
		I'm happy to go to them.
		And I think all Americans should celebrate when we have a peaceful transfer of power.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Troy, as a historian, you talked about this process of transition.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		How has it changed over history?
unidentified		Well, the biggest, most important change, certainly in the last hundred years or so, is that the inauguration is much closer to the election than it used to be.
		It used to be in March would be the transfer of power, which left five months, almost half a year before the new president would come in.
		This was a particular problem in the Great Depression when the country was in a really bad spot.
		Franklin Roosevelt wins the election, and Herbert Hoover is resoundingly defeated and kind of rejected by the American people because of the way he ran things.
		But there's still five more months when we know we have a new president coming, and the new president not only can't do anything, but is refusing to do anything because he doesn't want to be part of whatever Hoover is up to.
		He wants to completely reject Hoover.
		And so we were kind of sitting there frozen for five months.
		And after that, Congress and its wisdom said, we better change this.
		And now we have a transition that comes much closer.
		January 20th.
		It's a bit of a scramble for people who've been involved in the transition process, as I have.
		But at the end of the day, we are much closer to the election and the will of the people being spoken on.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		And I suppose that scramble that you mentioned also, in this case, we move things indoors.
unidentified		Yeah.
		Well, I mean, there's two kinds of scramble.
		One is, yes, we have backup plans.
		I know Senator Klobuchar is one of the people who is in charge of having backup plans.
		And so we have this warmer inauguration, which I think is important because if it were really nine degrees today, then people are at risk of potentially hypothermia or losing limbs, extremities, that kind of thing.
		So we want to be safe.
		We want people to enjoy the peaceful transfer of power in an appropriate way.
		But the other scramble is the time to get ready to take over a 2 million plus person federal government.
		And so the transition process where you've got to appoint 6,000 people to various jobs and to get your cabinet ready, to have your executive orders, your agenda ready, that happens in a very quick period from November when the election takes place to.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		And Mr. Troy, I apologize.
		I just want to tell people that people are starting to enter St. John's Church there, Eric and Laura Trump and other members starting to gather at that church for that ceremony that takes place a little while from now.
		Mr. Troy, some perspective on a church service being part of this process.
unidentified		Well, look, we are a Judeo-Christian nation.
		I've actually done an analysis of the use of the Bible in the inauguration events.
		Most presidents do mention the Bible in their inauguration.
		It's actually more common in the last hundred years than it was in the first hundred years.
		So the Bible is part of it.
		We do thank God for our blessings.
		And even the person who was on the call right before I joined, who said we should all bow our heads in prayer, and then he was obviously a little pessimistic about things.
		But prayer is an important part of it.
		And many of our presidents have been religious people.
		There is that church service that takes place, as you saw people go into the church right now, that takes place before the process every year or every four years.
		And I think that's just an important part of the American tradition.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Tevi Troy joining us for a bit of our coverage today.
		202-748-8,000 for Democrats.
		202-748-8001 for Republicans.
		Independents 202748-8002.
		Mr. Troy, this is the second time around for the president-elect to participate in a transition process.
		What do you think he's learned about this time around that he didn't know the first time around?
unidentified		Well, I think he's learned a lot.
		I don't think he knew much about the mechanisms of government the first time.
		And I think, you know, now he may be one of the better-versed people in how the federal government works, certainly how the White House works.
		It's rare to have someone come in with four years of executive experience in the Oval Office.
		So I think he's learned a lot.
		I also think there was some sorting out within the Republican Party.
		The last time there was a lot of unhappiness within the Republican Party, and so some of the people he brought in weren't on board.
		Seems like now the people he's bringing on board are happy with the new direction of the Republican Party and with him.
		And the other people who aren't have migrated out or less involved.
		So I think he's learned a lot about how to run things from the White House.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Let's hear from callers for Tevi Troy, presidential historian, senior fellow at the Ronald Reagan Institute.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Before we go to calls, Mr. Troy, some perspective of you being at the Ronald Reagan Institute, former President Reagan enduring having to come indoors for this type of ceremony.
unidentified		Yeah, I think there's a lot of ironies there that Reagan was the last person not to be able to do it outdoors.
		It was a bitterly cold day in Washington in January of 1985.
		And for safety reasons, for concern about the people who'd be coming to watch the inauguration, they decided to have it indoors.
		And from us now, with 40 years' perspective, it's actually a good thing because now we know how it works if you make that switch.
		So we had the plans and we were ready to go and we made this important change.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		This is Blair House.
		You're seeing that's where the president and his family and others are currently housed before they head to St. John's for that service that we talked about.
		We'll show you that when that happens.
		But let's hear from callers.
		This is Elijah in California Democrats line.
		You're on with presidential historian Tevby Troy.
unidentified		Go ahead.
		Oh, hello there.
		Good morning from California.
		It's pretty early here, but I just wanted to keep watching the inauguration.
		This year I voted Democrat down the ticket.
		But I'm disappointed that they lost, but I am cautiously optimistic about Trump's economic policies.
		I don't support his, let's say, his social policies, his trans issues, his opinion on that kind of stuff.
		I find that pretty disgusting, to be honest.
		But I'm cautiously optimistic about the economy.
		Hope it does well this year around.
		And the inauguration indoors is very interesting.
		Never seen that before in my life, but I'm excited to see where this goes.
		I hope Trump does okay.
		And maybe Democrats will get 2028.
		We'll see.
		And I hope you're having a great morning.
		It was, it's nice out.
		Looks great.
		Thanks for having me on today.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Elijah there in California.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Troy, this perspective that the president has to be a president of all people, and particularly how Democrats might view the incoming of a second administration of Donald Trump.
unidentified		Yeah, I love Elijah's call because he said he's disappointed in the results, but he's rooting for the best.
		He's hoping that the president does well.
		And that's how we should all feel.
		You vote for one person or another, and then the people decide, and then you root for that person to be successful because we want America to be successful.
		I also like what he said about the kind of mixed message.
		Some things he likes from Trump, some things he doesn't.
		And it reminds me of one of my favorite politicians, Ed Koch.
		He was a Democratic mayor of New York during my early formative years.
		And he used to say, if you agree with me on eight out of 12 issues, you should vote for me.
		If you agree with me on 12 out of 12 issues, you should see a psychiatrist.
		So, you know, everyone's a complex person.
		You can't agree with every person on everything, but you make the best decision you can going into the ballot box.
		And then, like Elijah said, you hope for the best.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		To what degree do you get a sense that Democrats are willing to give a chance this time around to a second administration of Mr. Trump?
unidentified		Well, look, Democrats obviously are not big fans of Trump, and I don't expect them to give him a lot of leeway.
		But there are some issues, like immigration, the border, for example, where a number of Democrats have signed on to, let's say, the Lake and Riley Act, which seems common sense to me that if someone is an illegal immigrant and has committed crimes, that the person should be acted on.
		So I think there are going to be some issues where they can work together.
		There's some issues where they're going to disagree.
		Trump has majorities in both the House and the Senate.
		He's got some momentum behind him because of the election victory.
		And that's the American way.
		We'll see how it goes.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		We'll hear from Ethan.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Ethan's in Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh, Independent Line.
unidentified		Hi, Juan.
		Thank you for taking my call.
		And I just want to get Troy's perspective on the history of presidential collusion, especially with other international countries.
		Like all of you have been watching Trump over the past weekend with this Trump coin and how he had a call with Xi Jinping on Friday.
		Trump servers are buying so much of the Trump coin.
		It seems pretty obvious to me that there's something big going on with Trump and the CCP.
		So I guess I just wanted Troy's thoughts on the possible collusion between this president, what that can apply for the presidency as a whole, and how that reflects on the history of past presidents and their collusion with other countries.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		That's Ethan from Pennsylvania.
unidentified		Yeah, look, I think collusion is an interesting word.
		I mean, it could be also alliances, right?
		Sometimes presidents work together.
		We've worked very closely with England over the years.
		I don't think that's necessarily collusion, although let's say our opponents in the Cold War might have seen it as collusion.
		There's, I guess, a continuum between alliance and then at the end of the side of the collusion, there's treason where you're acting on behalf of another country.
		I don't see any evidence of that with President Trump or with any of our presidents, frankly.
		Fortunately, we've not had anyone who's committed treason in the White House, and I hope that we don't.
		And the president is there to act for the American people.
		And if you do it by acting in alliance with other countries, that's a good thing.
		And then obviously, there are some countries that we're not allied with.
		I mean, obviously, we had wars and disagreements with other countries.
		But I think the American way is to show that we extend the hand of friendship to other countries.
		And if they reciprocate, then we can have a good relationship.
		And if they don't reciprocate, then we also are a powerful nation with tools at our disposal.
		And that's how I would see it.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Troy, there's reporting that a senior Chinese official is planning to attend today's inauguration events.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		How typical is it for foreign dignitaries to attend these kinds of things?
unidentified		Well, again, the word dignitaries has different meanings.
		If you're talking about ambassadors, it's very common.
		You often have ambassadors from other countries.
		In fact, always an ambassador in the ambassadorial class is a group of people that comes to the inauguration.
		That's a standard thing, and the State Department helps handle the tickets and credentials for them.
		But to have foreign leaders or high-level people in other countries come is a little less usual.
		And look, I am not a fan of the Chinese Communist Party.
		I think they're repressive.
		I think they've got some nefarious designs on different parts of the world, but I also don't want war.
		And if we can come to an accommodation with the Chinese, hopefully where they recognize that democracy and freedom is the better way to go.
		And that was the bet we made in the late 1990s when we let them into the society of nations and gave most favored nation status to them.
		And so we want to continue.
		We want them to move on the path towards more freedom and democracy.
		What they've done is they had more liberalization of the economy without their political system.
		And I think that has been more of a challenge than we anticipated.
		But, you know, the road is long and we still don't have all the answers yet.
		So let's see how it plays out.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		From Jeff, Democrats line in Virginia.
unidentified		Hi, good morning.
		Just want to graduate our new President Donald Trump.
		We're Virginia Democrats.
louie gohmert ▲ ● ▼		We're a multi-generation lifelong members.
unidentified		But we always, as parents, tell our kids, you know, you got your feelings, and then there's the actual of what's going on and happened.
		And we just could not stand behind what we feel like, a bunch of criminals out there in Congress on the Democrat side.
		So we want to see Trump win to help purge out the queer criminals and some of the backward-minded people.
		And we're hoping for wonderful four years and once congratulating.
		Thank you for letting us stay.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		On our Democrats line, that was Jeff from Virginia.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Troy.
unidentified		Well, it's an interesting call.
		Obviously, Virginia Democrat, but he sounds pretty supportive of President Trump and what President Trump's trying to do.
		And, you know, I think people are complicated.
		You know, you could say you're a lifelong Democrat and support Trump or a lifelong Republican and oppose Trump.
		And, you know, we have all kinds of things in this country.
		And so in terms of purging, you know, the new president gets to bring in something like 4,000 to 6,000 political appointees.
		There are 2 million people in the career service, plus literally an unknown number of contractors out there.
		And the president gets to put his stamp on things to the degree that he or she can.
		And the politicals are definitely within their purview.
		And the careers are there to serve the government, whether it's a Democrat or Republican.
		And President Trump has talked about things like Schedule F or ways to make more of the careers subject to political control.
		But the fact of the matter is, even with Schedule F or Trump's plans on that, the vast majority of those 2 million civil servants are going to remain civil servants who serve regardless of whether it's a Democrat or Republican president.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		We're showing you, viewers, what's known as Blair House, where the president and his family currently staying before the start of today's activities, that church service that we mentioned and other events as the president leaves and his entourage.
		We will show you that as we talk to Tevi Troy.
		You talked about all those things that take place on a single day, Tevi Troy.
		What's the planning process for a transition?
unidentified		Well, it's a very strange thing.
		I mean, there's a lot of buildup in that period from when the election happens until January 20th.
		There's a lot of preparation in terms of personnel and getting ready and making sure that you can move the old president out and the new president in.
		But there's that moment, boom, at noon on January 20th when one president is no longer and the new president is now the president.
		And that switch has to happen really quick.
		And they remake the Oval Office and they bring everyone's stuff out and bring everyone in.
		It's a very kind of a finely tuned machine to make it all happen.
		I just want to say something quick about Blair House, which is really one of the most beautiful government buildings.
		And it houses foreign dignitaries, also the new president as the new president comes in.
		It's right across the street from the White House.
		And if you ever have the privilege to have a tour of it, it's not necessarily open to the public, but sometimes there are ways of getting tours.
		It has the most beautiful architecture and the most beautiful floors and everything, but also it's most modern.
		I mean, all of the fixtures and the lighting is all very 21st century, even in its ornate 19th century building.
		So it's really a lovely place.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		If I may ask, how did Blair House get its name?
unidentified		The Blair family was a very powerful Maryland family.
		I believe Montgomery Blair was postmaster general under Lincoln.
		And so that's where it comes from.
		The other thing is it has a started history.
		Harry Truman was in Blair House when Puerto Rican terrorists tried to take out the president.
		And he was watching from a window as the Secret Service guards had a shootout with these terrorists right on West Executive Avenue.
		And they yelled at him to get away from the window, which was probably a smart move.
		And he eventually did.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Here's Jeannie in Spokane, Washington with our guest, Tevi Troy, presidential historian, a senior fellow at the Ronald Reagan Institute, Independent Line.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Go ahead, Jeannie.
unidentified		Well, I wrote a poem, and my husband loved it so much, he had me send it to President Trump through True Social.
		He goes, Dear Lord in heaven, we thank thee so much for the angel wings you sent to protect President Trump.
		He stood there in the open.
		He knew he was taking a chance.
		Something made him turn his head at a graph he had to glance.
		Angels hands upon him helped him turn his head.
		For if it wasn't for his angel, President Trump would be dead.
		Thank you, Almighty God, for the angel wings from above.
		For this, we have to thank thee with gratitude and love.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Sean in South Carolina, Republican line, you're next up.
unidentified		Hi.
		Yes, good morning.
		I just wanted to convey to my fellow citizens out there that are watching.
		And I am former military, but regardless of whatever walk of life that we come from and our work ethic from childhood to adulthood, we have to concentrate on leadership.
		We may or may not like the person that's in that leadership role, but we have to concentrate on the substance of the work that's being done.
		And I just hope people can get a grasp of that and we can look forward in the future, the next four years and beyond.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Tevi Troy, to the caller's point of leadership, the president-elect reportedly going to sign numerous, numerous executive orders today.
		What's the role with the signing of those orders at the beginning of a presidency?
		And how do you compare it to what the president-elect plans to do?
unidentified		Yeah, executive orders are now a part of the tradition.
		The president puts these things in place once they come in.
		They have the force of the law while the president is in office, while the executive order still stands, but the next president could always undo it.
		That's why if you want to have permanent impact on the federal government, on our society, you've got to do it through legislation.
		And so executive orders are an important tool, but they are not the best way of permanently ensuring the change that the president feels is required.
		So there are also certain things that some presidents do when they're Republicans and Democrats undo or vice versa.
		And so those things are kind of expected.
		But it seems like with 100 planned executive orders, this president is going to be fairly aggressive on the use of executive orders.
		One thing he wants to do is to use them to control the border.
		The Biden administration bragged about undoing 94 actions that President Trump had done to make the border more secure.
		I don't know why they bragged about it because then there was a surge at the border.
		And then when they said it wasn't happening, Republicans put out all this video of Secretary Mallorca saying we've gotten rid of these 94 actions to make the border more secure.
		So I think that that did not play out well for the Biden administration.
		But there's also some back and forth with Congress because Congress wants to say that they've had some ability to change what's going on at the border.
		And so if President Trump makes all the changes, then it's hard for Congress to take credit for making changes.
		So there's going to be a bit of a negotiation on those types of issues.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		You're in New York.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		This is Josh, Democrats line for Tevi Troy.
unidentified		Hi.
		So my biggest concerns for this election are Donald is unfit to serve.
		And that's why I'm really concerned about what he has planned for the next four years.
		So I'd like to know what like the border is good, but I'm concerned about the TikTok thing because of the security issues.
		And that's why I'm concerned.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		A lot of these issues, Tevi Troy, now coming in the last couple of days before this transfer of power.
unidentified		Yeah, I'm not sure what to say about the TikTok thing because President Trump has been on both sides of it.
		So it's not really clear.
		Obviously, Congress passed a law, bipartisan way, saying that we can't have Chinese Communist Party ownership of this app that so many American kids are using and that can send propaganda.
		I mean, the line event is it's digital sentinel.
		So kids are addicted to it, but it's also digital propaganda and sending very bad messages.
		The Chinese version of TikTok is very limited in application.
		It basically sends out math lessons.
		But in America, it sends out the most horrific messages about how terrible America is, how terrible Israel is, how terrible the West is.
		So I think there's some real problems with TikTok.
		It's not yet clear where President Trump stands on it.
		He said he's going to do some more reviews.
		So let's see where that goes.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		The president expected to leave Blair House, as we've been showing you in the next few minutes, to travel to St. John's Church.
		Tebby Troy joining us for that time.
		Tebby Troy, is federal money involved in a transition process when it comes to the White House itself?
unidentified		Yeah, so there's different elements of the transition.
		So a lot of the planning that's done by the party takes place or the incoming party takes place without federal funding.
		Not all of it, but some of it they raise money for it.
		The inaugural balls and the inaugural festivities are raised by the party.
		And that's what I see.
		Some CEOs and some big companies have been giving a lot of money to it.
		But there are certain things that are done specifically by the government, the Secret Service, for example, the changing over of the White House, the sprucing up of the Oval Office for the new inhabitant.
		So a lot of those things are done by the government.
		So yeah, the government's spending money, but there's also private money being expended as well.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Catherine joins us from Maine on our independent line.
		Catherine, good morning.
		Go ahead.
unidentified		Good morning.
		I just wanted to voice my concerns because there's a lot that I'm worried about when it comes to the future of our country.
		We've already seen Roe v. Wade overturn, and I'm really concerned about other freedoms being removed during his presidency.
		Because not only do we have a Republican president, but our Supreme Court is at a six to three majority Republican appointed court.
		So I'm just really scared about what's going to be protected, like our reproductive rights and who's going to make sure that there are true like checks and balances to ensure that this doesn't become like a dictatorship of some kind where foundational freedoms will begin to like disappear to fit the Republican agenda.
		I know that sounds kind of crazy to say, but I mean, we just heard on here someone say that Donald Trump will be the last president.
		And obviously I don't believe that, but with Trump saying already that he wants to make Canada the 51st state, I'm just concerned for our future.
		And luckily, I do live in a Democratic state, so my rights should be unaffected, but I just have a lot of empathy for the red states who can't access safe reproductive care, among other things.
		So there's like nothing that we can do at this point because Donald Trump will be our president.
		And I can say that with confidence.
		I don't beat around the bush.
		But I just think that we just have to stay vigilant.
		And I just hope that his policies don't further like polarize or divide us.
		Like that's just my concern.
		But I wanted to hear your thoughts about like what I just said.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Troy.
unidentified		Yeah, thank you for that.
		And look, obviously, a lot of people have concerns, especially if you voted for the other candidate.
		There's people worried about how things are going to play out.
		But I would just say that this country, we have the rule of law.
		It's not easy to get things done.
		Think about President Obama when he comes in in 2009 with bigger majorities in both houses of Congress.
		He got some things done, but he didn't get everything done.
		And that's just the way it is.
		You have a chance to get some things passed and some things not.
		In terms of the Supreme Court, it is six people have been appointed by Republicans, but those six people have very different views.
		Also, if you look at the Supreme Court, the vast majority of cases they decide are decided overwhelmingly, or there's many, many even nine-zeros.
		So it's not like the Supreme Court is a one-party stamp on one party's approach to things.
		So the founders set up a complex system where it's not easy to pass laws.
		We don't have dictators.
		We still have elections every two years for Congress, every four years for president.
		And I'm optimistic that the Republic will continue.
		I do have concerns.
		One of my biggest concerns is about the national debt, which is $35 trillion or so.
		And we don't really seem to have been taking steps to address it.
		I think that is the biggest fear we should have about the long-term stability and health of the Republic.
		And I'm hoping that in the years ahead, Republicans and Democrats will take steps to address it because it can't be done by one party.
		The amount is too great.
		And that's my number one concern about that concern.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		How is it complicated by the fact that the president will have to face with his Congress right off the bat this idea of future spending for the federal government?
unidentified		Yeah, absolutely.
		It's one of the things that all presidents have to address is not just spending levels, tax levels, also the debt ceiling.
		The Democrats are, you know, they've got their own desires and goals.
		And so it's not easy to do.
		But the fact is the way we've been handling these issues for the last few years, the last few presidencies, in fact, is to just increase spending and kick the can down the road.
		And I think at some point we have to stop taking that can and pick it up and figure out how we're going to address these very difficult, very concerning issues.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Jonathan in Virginia, Republican line.
		Good morning.
		You're next up.
unidentified		Morning.
		So my big question is, do you think Donald Trump is going to be trying to, how do I put this, take revenge on Dr. Fauci, Nancy Pelosi, and people who tried to lock him up, shoot him?
		I just want to see, what is your opinion on that?
		I mean, I don't think it's going to be a revenge tour.
		I don't think if you stated your opposition to President Trump, you're going to have to worry about going to jail or being investigated.
		But I do think that if people violate the law, then there are potential problems and that you're going to have to face the music if you violate the law.
		But the people you mentioned, I don't think they violated the law.
		I think they just have legitimate political disagreements with him.
		So I'm not expecting a revenge tour, and I really hope we don't see it because I don't think that's the way to go about these things.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Democrats line from Connecticut.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		This is Monica.
unidentified		Hi, good morning, everyone.
		I'm just thinking disrespectful, I feel that Trump should be having a presidential inauguration on Martin Luther King Day.
		I feel that this day should be about freedom, justice, and peace.
		And there's no reconnection to this day being, you know, about right, justice for all, and peace and stuff.
		And I feel like this is like disrespectful.
		It's all about Trump today.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Got your point.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		And Mr. Troy, this idea of the inauguration taking place on this holiday of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
unidentified		Yeah, I know it's an interesting thing.
		And obviously, it doesn't happen every inauguration.
		January 20th can happen any day of the week.
		Martin Luther King Day always happens on a Monday.
		So you figure it's a 14% chance that this is going to happen one out of seven days a week.
		But you just, you know, the inauguration was moved to January 20th before we had the holiday, which I support for Dr. King.
		And it's just kind of a coincidence of the calendar that this time they happen to be on the same day.
		I wonder, would the caller have the same concerns if the election had gone a different way and Vice President Harris were being inaugurated today?
		So is it a Donald Trump thing or is it just a Dr. King's birthday should never coincide, or Dr. King's holiday should never coincide with an inauguration?
		And then we'd have to either move the inauguration or Dr. King's holiday because they both take place in January and that's the way the system's set up.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Troy, the president-elect will be sworn in today.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		He has four years in office, but how much time does he realistically have to have an impact when it comes to his agenda?
unidentified		Well, I think we're seeing in recent years that every president has those first, they say the first 100 days dates back to Franklin Roosevelt's administration, but it's really a first 200 days, first half a year is when you have your biggest legislative window.
		And after that, you end the kind of the first session of the new Congress, and then the second session of the new Congress is more concerned about reelection, and so it's harder to get stuff done.
		And then after the midterms, often the sitting president is rebuked, so they lose seats in Congress.
		President Trump can't afford to lose many seats in the House, to be sure, because he's got a very narrow majority.
		And so then if the second half of the term has the other party in power, then you obviously have less. ability to get things done.
		So really, this window, the first four or five months of the new administration, is the best legislative window for a new president.
		They have momentum.
		They can point to the election results, and then that's the best time to get stuff done.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		How do you expect then a Republican-controlled House and Senate to respond to that agenda and to help the president get that agenda moved?
unidentified		Well, because of Senate filibuster, you can't pass things without 60 votes, and they don't have 60 Republican votes in the Senate.
		So they use the reconciliation process, and that reconciliation process is a budgetary maneuver, and presidents have been using it more frequently in the last few years because it's so hard to get bipartisan compromise.
		And so they're looking at what reconciliation bites they have at the Apple.
		Reconciliation, again, is a budget maneuver that lets you get things done with a bare majority in the Senate so that you can pass budgetary matters.
		And they're looking at taxes and border control using reconciliation.
		Taxes have to be addressed because if not, then the Trump tax cuts of 2017 are going to lapse, and then we're going to have a big tax increase on the American people.
		And obviously, the border is perhaps the number one thing that Trump ran on.
		So I think that that is going to be what they're looking at.
		Other things, whether it's cybersecurity or how to deal with China, all those things are going to have to take place in a bipartisan manner.
		That'll take longer.
		It probably won't be through the reconciliation process.
		And President Trump will put his stamp on it, but we'll have less overall unilateral control over what happens.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		C-SPAN's inauguration coverage continues with Tebby Troy of the Ronald Reagan Institute.
		He serves as their senior fellow, also a presidential historian in Florida Independent Line.
		Shepard, hello.
unidentified		Yes, good morning, gentlemen.
		Well, first off, I want to say I grew up as a welfare kid in the Bronx in a family in Bronx neighborhood who people voted Democrat no matter what.
		I mean, they didn't even pay attention.
		They just voted Democrat.
		In 1980, my mother even told me, and I quote, if you vote for Reagan, don't bother coming home.
		But that said, all of the vitriol to being directed towards Donald Trump, you know, it amazes me.
		People want to say I'm in a cult.
		I supported Donald Trump for the same reasons I supported Ross Perot back in the 90s.
		And I can honestly tell you, even conservative commentators, when Barack Obama was elected, they said they wanted to see him fail miserably.
		I didn't want to see Barack Obama fail.
		I wanted him to do so well that by 2012, the people would have been dancing in the streets.
		Now, the next thing I want to get on is I've never been a fan of tariffs.
		However, it breaks my heart when just about every small appliance on the shelf says made in China.
		Furthermore, as a retired auto mechanic who still loves to do my own work, whenever I go to buy replacement auto parts, including dealership parts, mind you, so-called original equipment parts, they are labeled made in China.
		We need to get China under control.
		The United States was once the manufacturing superpower juggernaut of the world.
		During World War II, we supplied many of the allied nations with war equipment.
		Our industry has been decimated to the point that we can't do that anymore.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Okay, Shepard.
		That's Shepard in Florida.
		To the first part of his comments, Mr. Troy, what does the president face or the president-elected face as far as building a sense of unity amongst those, even amongst those who didn't vote for him?
unidentified		Well, it's been interesting.
		President Trump has gotten some of his highest approval ratings since the election.
		People seem to be favorably disposed towards the way he's handled the transition.
		And so he's getting to the extent that anybody can these days, getting a bit of a honeymoon.
		There have even been some positive articles about some incoming Trump aides, which didn't really happen last time.
		So that's, I guess, an opportunity to enter with some wind at your back.
		And that's a good thing.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Michael in Texas, Democrats lying.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Go ahead.
unidentified		Good morning, Dr. Troy.
		There's been a lot of talk about unity and kind of a lack of unity here over the past 30 minutes or so.
		I was curious if you could speak on the political polarization levels in the U.S., specifically in a historical context, and kind of say where we're really at in terms of like what's being exaggerated, what's not being exaggerated.
		Yeah, I think that's a great question.
		I think we see via social media all the negativity and the disagreements are highlighted.
		But the vast majority of American people just want to live.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Mr. Troy, let me put you on halt for a bit only because we're seeing some activity coming out of Blair House when it comes to the president starting the process of leaving St. John's Church.
		Let's watch this for a bit.
		We're still watching Blair House to see the activity when it comes to there.
		Mr. Troy, sorry to have interrupted you.
		Go ahead.
unidentified		You know, in terms of political polarization, the vast majority of American people just want to live their lives and be productive, have children, et cetera.
		And there are polls that show there's about 8% are kind of radical liberals in this country and 6% are radical conservatives.
		And let me get anything else beside us.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		And I apologize again.
		Here's the Senator JD Vance, the vice president-elect, entering St. John's Church.
		Mr. Troy, I apologize only for the back-and-forth nature of what we're seeing.
		We're just trying to show people what's going on.
		Please finish your thought.
		I apologize.
unidentified		It's an exciting day in Washington.
		I get it.
		But 86% of the American people are not in the radical camps on either side.
		And again, they want to live lives.
		They root to the presidents to do well.
		They want the country to do well.
		And like Shepard was saying before, they also want the American economy to do well, have jobs here.
		And I think that's the hope for any president when they come in, that they're going to focus on that.
		We don't want to have wars.
		We don't want to have conflict.
		We just want to be able to live our lives and be able to express ourselves, use our freedom to live our lives the best way we can.
		And I think that's the hope in every presidential election.
		It's not saying, oh, we want someone to come in and destroy their opponents or to create war.
		We want somebody to come in who's going to create peace and prosperity so the American people can self-actualize and live their dreams.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Here is the shot of Blair House, several SUVs leaving, including the President-elect of the United States and his family.
		From there, they will travel that short distance to St. John's Church for that ceremony that will take place that we talked about earlier.
		This is part of C-SPAN's continuing coverage of the inauguration of the President-elect Donald Trump.
		That's the overhead view of Blair House, which our guest had talked about before.
		As they make a way to St. John's Church, we will show you the president arriving at the church.
		As we do that, we'll continue to take your calls, 202748-8000 for Democrats, 202-748-8001 for Republicans, and Independents, 202748-8002.
unidentified		Can I just say that I've walked from Blair House to St. Andrews many a time, and it probably takes less time to walk it than to take that whole motor key to vehicles.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		When it comes to the service, are there any standout features?
		Does the service change for each president?
		How is that determined?
unidentified		Yeah, I mean, it is a standard service that they do certain readings to reflect the fact of the transition to power and the new president.
unidentified		But, you know, it's a fairly standard church service, and they're trying to express their hope and their gratitude to God and the greatest hopes of the American people that we have a good and successful four years coming up.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Is there a reason why it's always St. John's?
unidentified		It just became the church of the presidents.
		Presidents have been worshiping there since the early 19th century, and that becomes known as the place where presidents go to worship.
		And so it has that tradition.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		And speaking of which, here are the SUVs.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Let's watch some of these arrivals at St. John's Church.
unidentified		It's the president.
unidentified		The president-elect
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		entering St. John's Church alongside his wife, Melania Trump.
		Part of our coverage on C-SPAN on this inauguration day.
		We'll continue watching that.
		Let's hear from Shea, Republican Line in Washington, D.C. Hi, good morning.
unidentified		Can you hear me?
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Yes, go ahead, please.
unidentified		Hi, thank you so much for having me.
		Shea, Northwest Washington, zip code 20016 for those of you that know.
		Yeah, and I am a longtime Democrat, now proudly a Republican.
		I became a Republican back in August.
		Enough was just enough.
		And I just want to say I'm going to make this short and sweet.
		I'm thrilled to see the Trumps back in town and the party that they bring with them in the luxury transportation business.
		This past weekend alone, my father and I, we made $12,000 just off, you know, shuttling people around Washington.
		They're excellent for the economy.
		They spend good.
		They look good.
		They tip good.
		They're fantastic people.
		Love to have them in town.
		Thank you.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Okay, and then let's hear from Kai.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Kai in South Carolina, Democrats line.
unidentified		Hi.
		This question is for Dr. Troy.
		First, it's a pleasure to be on the line with you guys.
		As a historian, our ideas are to be objective and impartial.
		So what do you say and what are your thoughts on President Trump or President-elect Trump's cabinet picks?
		Because it feels as though it's a call back to the Ohio gang a little bit and how Warren G. Harding and his presidency was going to be conducted.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		That's Kai in South Carolina.
unidentified		Yeah, thanks, Kai, for that.
		And I appreciate the question.
		Look, the cabinet, there are definitely some non-traditional picks in there, but also some people who have, you know, I think President Trump picks people based on their ability to communicate ideas that he agrees with.
		And they were specifically looking for people who were good on TV, who could present well.
		They're not necessarily looking for people with the same traditional Washington experience.
		And as we've been saying throughout, this is inauguration day.
		This is the day to hope for the best.
		We certainly don't want a reprise of the Ohio gang under Warren G. Harding.
		And we hope it's a successful presidency and a successful cabinet, successful administration.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Just because people may not follow us closely, what was the significance of what the caller brought up concerning President Harding?
unidentified		Well, there were a lot of corruption allegations under Harding.
		He actually died in office, and there were kind of questions about perhaps how he died.
		And there was the Teapot Dome scandal.
		And so there was a sense that they were kind of businessmen in there out for themselves as opposed to people who were looking for the good of the country.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		This is Tevi Troy.
		He's with the Ronald Reagan Institute.
		You can find the work at ReaganFoundation.org slash Reagan-Institute.
		Tevby Troy, also a presidential historian, author of many books on the topic.
		Mr. Troy, thanks for your time this morning.
unidentified		Thanks for having me.
unidentified		Happy Inauguration Day.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		We will continue on.
		And again, if you want to make your comments about this inauguration day, 202-748-8000 for Democrats, 202-748-8001 for Republicans.
		And Independents, 202-748-8002.
		You can text us at 202-748-8003.
		We go back to John McCartney.
john mcardle ▲ ● ▼		Pedro, plenty of news this inauguration day, and some of it coming not from the incoming 47th president, but from the 46th president, Joe Biden.
		As C-SPAN viewers learned this morning, a series of pardons out of the White House, last-minute pardons from Joe Biden, including, as Jake Sherman of Punch Bowl News notes, Mark Milley, the former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair, the Dr. Anthony Fauci, members of Congress and staff of the January 6th Committee, and Capitol and D.C. police who testified before the January 6th Select Committee.
		It's a long statement out of the White House this morning.
		That statement from Joe Biden reading in part, I believe in the rule of law and I'm optimistic that the strength of our legal institutions will ultimately prevail over politics.
		But these are exceptional circumstances and I cannot in good conscience do nothing.
		Baseless and politically motivated investigations wreak havoc on the lives, safety, and financial security of targeted individuals and their families.
		Even when individuals have done nothing wrong and, in fact, have done the right thing and will ultimately be exonerated.
		The mere fact of being investigated or prosecuted can irreparably damage reputations and finances.
		That the statement from Joe Biden on those pardons that were issued today.
		Some response to those pardons, including from General Milley himself, he was on CNN.
		This is what he had to say on his CNN interview, Natasha Bertrand, with the tweet.
		My family and I are deeply grateful for the president's actions today after 43 years of faithful service in uniform to our nation, protecting and defending the Constitution.
		I do not wish to spend whatever remaining time the Lord grants me fighting those who unjustly might seek retribution or perceive slights.
		I do not want to put my family, my friends, and those with whom I serve through the resulting distraction, expense, and anxiety.
		From Capitol Hill, one member of Congress with a tweet out this morning on those pardons, Ron Johnson, the Republican sender from Wisconsin, saying, I wonder what criminal activity Biden is concerned that they need a pardon from.
		That's the news of the outgoing president.
		The incoming president will have his swearing in in the 11 a.m. Eastern hour, expected closer to 11:45.
		After the swearing-in, we'll give remarks from the United States Capitol.
		This tweet from Caitlin Collins of CNN: there's roughly 1,800 seats in Emancipation Hall that's in the Capitol Visitor Center underneath the Capitol, where many of Trump's guests will watch as he's sworn in inside the rotunda before coming there to make his remarks.
		And then some excerpts of those remarks.
		Rachel Scott of ABC News with a few of those excerpts.
		The incoming president will say, I returned to the presidency confident and optimistic that we are at the start of a thrilling new era of national success.
		A tide of change is sweeping the country.
		Today, I will sign a series of historic executive orders.
		With these actions, we will begin the complete restoration of America and the revolution of common sense.
		He'll also say, My message to Americans today is that it is time for us to once again act with courage, vigor, and the vitality of the history of history's greatest civilization.
		We'll hear those remarks and more from the incoming president.
		The outgoing president Joe Biden will depart from Capitol Hill via Marine One.
		The helicopter is already parked on the Capitol's east front between the Capitol and the Library of Congress there.
		There's a picture from Jake Sherman of Punch Bowl News showing that.
		And speaking of Joe Biden, one more tweet from the outgoing president.
		It's a three-minute video of the various people that Joe Biden has welcomed to the White House.
		Viewers can watch that on X. As we said, there's a lot going on on Capitol Hill today, Pedro.
		We're trying to keep you on top of all of it on this busy inauguration day.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		On the streets of Washington itself, as people who came to town to take part in inauguration activities are doing various amounts of things, and amongst them is Tammy Thuringer.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		Hi, Pedro.
		You can see people walking both ways.
		I think those folks are walking down to get in this line, which has been moving.
		They started letting people in at about eight o'clock, along with all the people who are out here waiting to get into the arena.
		There are also a lot of these merchandise carts and vendors who are selling memorabilia for today's event.
		This is Joe.
		He has some customers right here, but he is going to be telling us about what the most popular items are and how long he's been out here.
		Joe, hi.
unidentified		Hi, how are you?
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		Doing well.
		Joe is one of the many vendors who's out here today.
		Joe, what time did you get out here this morning?
unidentified		We got here at 4 o'clock in the morning.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		And you were also out here yesterday.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		How long were you outside yesterday?
unidentified		We got here at 5 o'clock in the morning and we didn't get out here until around 7.
unidentified		We probably would have been out here a lot more late if the weather would hold off from the rain and the snow.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		You have a lot of competition out here for selling.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		How have sales been?
unidentified		Sales just started.
unidentified		We just got here, so usually they start picking up as the day goes on.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		And show us some of the items that have been most popular.
unidentified		One of the most popular ones is the laners.
		We got here says I was there.
		It's a good souvenir that they could take home to their families that they were actually at the event.
		And then we also have the warm stockings and stocking hats for everybody.
		The best slogan is make your head warm again.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		And Joe, you said that you come out here for some of the other events at Capital One, some of the other events.
		Is this event any different?
		What makes it different?
unidentified		There's really no difference.
		The people, every time Trump shows up, the people show up just like this.
		So there's not really a big difference.
		Always the crowds are big, so we're all used to this.
tammy thueringer ▲ ● ▼		Well, thank you for your time.
unidentified		Thank you.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Some of the many people that you will see out and about today of Washington, D.C., some participating directly in the inauguration ceremonies, which takes place inside the Capitol building, some being able to watch at certain locations across town, some being watching on television at other locations.
		Again, we'll be showing you that during the course of the morning.
		St. John's Church now starting to actively fill up with people as the ceremony or the services are set to start just at 9 o'clock where the president-elect is, the vice president-elect, and others in St. John's Church there.
		We'll show you when they leave after that, a drive to the White House to participate in coffee and tea, and then it's on to the Capitol later on today.
		So plenty to keep aware of.
		The best way to do it, stay on this network.
		We have other platforms you can watch along as well.
		Our C-SPAN Now app available to you.
		Also, our website at c-span.org if you want to keep track there of today's inauguration ceremonies and activities.
		Sue is in Ohio, Democrats line.
		Hi, Sue.
unidentified		Go ahead.
		Yes.
		Thank you for taking my call.
		I just want to say right now, my heart is absolutely broken for this country.
		And I don't think it's a day of celebration at all.
		And my biggest fear is the millions of people, not only in our own country, but around the world, Trump can hurt by being president.
		We all say we hope this time's going to be different.
		And I had Donald Trump pegged the first time he came down the escalator.
		And he's turned out to be everything that I knew he would be.
		He doesn't care about people.
		And the programs he puts in place, the executive orders he's going to sign, he's going to do that without any thought of who it's really going to hurt.
		And I'm just brokenhearted.
		All this talk with even our allies, you know, getting ready for Trump to be president.
		And the biggest thing also is now he has the military that he can order to do horrible things just to get done what Trump wants done today.
		And he comes across, I'm sorry, as a badass, and he will show you what he's going to do.
		One of the things.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Okay, that's Sue there in Ohio.
		Let's hear from David in Georgia, Republican line.
		Go ahead.
unidentified		Hey, sir.
unidentified		How are you doing?
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Fine, sir.
unidentified		Go ahead.
		So I am 23 years old.
		So I started working at the end of the Donald Trump administration in 2016.
		And I work through the Biden administration now.
		And going back into the Trump administration today, I have noticed a vast difference in how my farm money goes.
		I'm really looking forward to what he's going to do this presidency.
		And hopefully this country can get back to the way it was financially.
		And hopefully we can get back to peace and we can end all the troubles that we are having around the world.
		Hopefully this IRS thing will work out for us in the good.
		I just want us to be able to be independent and this country to be strong.
		And that's really it.
		That's all I really wanted to say.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Pennsylvania Avenue here in Washington, D.C., lined with officers as part of the process of when the president leaves St. John's, leaves the White House, heads to the Capitol, part of the protective services that are out and about in Washington, D.C. today.
		Natalie in Lynchburg, Virginia, Independent Line.
		Natalie in Virginia.
unidentified		Hello.
		Mainly.
		Mainly.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Your answer.
unidentified		Go ahead.
		Mainly.
		Yes.
		Just want to comment on Veterans Care.
		Nobody has mentioned anything about Veterans Care and the health care for the United States citizens.
		I'm a disabled veteran, and I just wonder what Mr. Trump might be on his agenda for Veterans Care.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Doug Collins, the former Republican representative from Georgia, set to be come, the next head of the Veterans Affairs Administration after his confirmation process.
		Kirsten in Ohio, Democrats line.
		Good morning.
		You're next up.
unidentified		Good morning.
		I was just calling in.
		I haven't heard anybody thank President Trump and Kamala, Vice President Kamala, for their service.
		They are true public servants.
		They kept our government quiet so we could live our lives.
		And I'm very, I wish the Supreme Court that they would look at things through a nonpartisan lens.
		And Eileen Cannon, you're a terrible, terrible judge.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Kirsten in Ohio, thanks a portion of today's inauguration ceremony dedicated to highlighting President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris as part of the process.
		Craig, well, let me tell you the phone line.
		So we've been going on.
		Normally, this show ends at 10 o'clock.
		We are continuing on in our inauguration coverage clear up until the time the ceremony starts.
		And you can still watch it on C-SPAN and our platforms.
		But up until then and the start of that program, your calls, getting information about the day, hearing from people in and about Washington, D.C., 202-748-8000 for Democrats, 202-748-8001 for Republicans.
		And Independents, 202-748-8002.
		You can also, if you want, you can send us a text at 202-748-8003.
		Typically, we show you newspapers from across the United States giving the headlines of the day.
		Sometimes in the Washington, D.C. area, there are several newspapers across the United States today focusing on Inauguration Day, Arizona Republic.
		This is their front page.
		This is the headline highlighting the fact of today's holiday celebrating Martin Luther King Jr., but their main section of the paper, this is day one.
		This is from the Arizona Republic.
		Moving on to the News Journal.
		This is a paper based out of Delaware, the current president's home state, their front page, again, highlighting Martin Luther King Jr., a shift in perspective is how they're covering that.
		If you go across the United States and keep on going there, the Miami Herald, the president's home state of Florida, this is the Miami Herald.
		Their lead towards the right of your screen.
		Defiance yields to deference as Trump returns to a changed capital city is how they're going with the headline this morning.
		This is the Columbus Dispatch, the home of the Vice President-elect, JD Vance, a story featuring the Vice President-elect.
		He knows why he's here.
		JD Vance prepares to take the job as VP.
		And then also internationally, not the front page, but this is the website from the Telegraph.
		And the United Kingdom Inauguration Day 2025, Trump to announce, quote, revolution of common sense, an optimistic speech.
		This is from the picture you're looking at is from last night, the village people performing as part of those events at Capitol One.
		So that's how the world and the United States taking various looks at today's inauguration day.
		We're giving you looks as well with information.
		And with that, here's John McCartne.
john mcardle ▲ ● ▼		Pedro, we've been monitoring the social media feeds of members of Congress.
		Always interesting to watch what they're focusing on on big days like this on Capitol Hill.
		And many of them still focusing on those pardons, that last-minute pardons that Joe Biden handed out this morning to Anthony Fauci, Mark Milley, the January 6th Committee, and others.
		This is Senator John Barrasso, the Republican senator, saying Joe Biden spent his last night in the White House handing out get out of jail free cards to those who did his political bidding.
		If they didn't do anything wrong, they shouldn't need a pardon.
		Here's a few other tweets that members of Congress have sent out this morning, including from Jim McGovern, the Democrat from Massachusetts, focusing on MLK Day today, saying he'll be thinking of him a lot today.
		He dedicated his life to freedom, justice, and peace, and so must we all.
		That MLK bust there, that picture of Jim McGovern in the Capitol Rotunda, and that's where Donald Trump will be taking the oath of office today.
		Other tweets to show you this morning, including from Senator Mike Collins, occasionally known for his quirky social media feed.
		He shows the picture of Bernie Sanders, that viral picture from back in January of 2021 there on that cold inauguration day in Washington four years ago.
		And then one more tweet for you.
		This was just sent out from the Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, on Inauguration Day.
unidentified		Southern border, the number of migrants crossing into the U.S. from Mexico is at an all-time high.
		Many are noticing a bigger impact on their pocketbooks.
		Prices overall are 22% higher than they were four years ago.
		It was Iran who struck tonight in the ever-spiraling cycle of violence in the Middle East.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		St. John's Church, where the president-elect, the vice president-elect, and others participating in that service will continue to show that.
		We'll show when they leave to move on to other events.
		Craig in Ohio, Republican line, go ahead.
unidentified		Yeah, I just want to say that I'm glad Trump is putting the power back into the states for education.
		And abortion isn't back in the states.
		So the states make abortion.
		The federal government has nothing to do with abortion at all.
		And I'm just happy that finally the states are going to have power like the way our forefathers set it up.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		This is Alex, Alex in Alabama.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Go ahead.
unidentified		Hey there.
		Thanks for having me.
		I just want to wish everybody a happy MLK Day.
		This is a great day for patriots.
		We've been witnessing the worst four years in American history.
		I had to vote Republican and vote for Trump this year because we just can't let what's been happening continue on.
		Open borders, poisoning our food, a false media.
		I was not too long ago in the SIOP where I thought we need vaccines.
		We need all this stuff that makes us unhealthy.
		And I'm just so happy that we got Trump coming back.
		And I'll always, always be a patriot.
		Thank you so much for having me.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Our next guest of the morning is Martha Kumar.
		She is the director of the White House Transition Project, also the author of Before the Oath, How George W. Bush and Barack Obama Managed a Transfer of Power.
		Martha Kumar, welcome back to C-SPAN.
unidentified		Thank you very much, Pedro.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Tell us a little bit about the project.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		What's its role?
unidentified		The project is a group of scholars, presidency scholars, who study White Houses, and we put together information about transitions past and about appointments.
		But also, we have information on various White House offices, how they've worked over the years, the functions of the office, the responsibilities of the directors, and we have organization charts.
		How did Reagan organize the press operation, for example?
		And those can be very helpful when somebody is coming in and doesn't know what has happened in the past.
		Sometimes, for example, there was a person who had the job of staff secretary, and they weren't sure what that job involved.
		And by reading the essay, they got a sense of what people who had been there in the past thought were important about the office and what they had wished they had known of coming in.
		So it's talking to people who have been there and in an effort to try to not reinvent the wheel So they know what the responsibilities are because whether it's a Democratic or a Republican White House, the functions of those offices remain pretty much the same.
		Even if they have different people in their roles, they still have the same office structure in a White House.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Martha Kumar, then, in your opinion, what elements make for a successful transition?
unidentified		See, transitions are made up of law that goes back to 1963.
		And the law has really been very bipartisan.
		That in both houses of Congress, you have people looking at how did a transition work?
		Were there problems?
		And how do we fix it?
		So it's one of those areas, and there are very few of them left that really is bipartisan.
		But in addition to law, that usually it's based on actions are based on precedent.
		And what did somebody do in the past?
		In the Trump transition out of office to Biden, the person who was running the day-to-day operation, Chris Lydell, worked on the basis of precedent with people in the government who were familiar with what happened in the past.
		But I think another element is a tacit understanding by both the incoming and outgoing presidents and their teams that what is happening is going to be more important than they are.
		There's a tacit understanding that they should do the best job possible, even if they lost.
		George H.W. Bush brought together his senior staff the next day, and he was certainly despondent over losing, but he said, I want a good transition, and I don't want any time bombs left.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Our guest joining us, and I just want to mention to folks, if you want to ask her questions about this transition process, 202-748-8000 for Democrats, 202-748-8001.
		Independence, 202-748-8002.
		Text us at 202-748-8003.
		Martha Kumar, you talked about the importance of letting that the events are more important or the job is more important than the person in the sense.
		Everybody's in church right now.
		How does that add to the element of today's events?
unidentified		It starts out with a sense of unity and that there's something more important than each individual.
		And St. John's Church has been there since 1815, and all the presidents from Madison Ford have at some point gone to St. John's Church for one event or another.
		And George W. Bush went there almost weekly.
		But it's a reminder at the beginning of a day of a transition that there's something more important than the individual.
		It is the country as a whole.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		A photograph of the president-elect in church alongside his wife, Melania Trump, others.
		That's the photograph from Getty Images, I believe, showing the president-elect there as part of the events of St. John's Church.
		Martha Kumar, then talk a little bit about what you're watching for.
		And especially, and I also want to ask you, you kind of highlighted the fact you wrote a book on how George W. Bush and President Obama made this transition.
		I wonder if there are parallels that can be learned from that that can be applied this time around.
unidentified		Well, that was the most effective transition in modern times, where both sides worked together.
		George Bush, in December of 2007, talked to his chief of staff, Josh Bolton, and told him that he wanted the best transition ever because we were in a time of war.
		And Bolton set out to do that.
		And he brought together even before the nominating conventions, when we had presumptive candidates of McCain and Obama, brought them together into the White House, their representatives, and talked about getting early security clearances for their people so that they would be as seamless as possible, make sure that they could start early,
		work together on memoranda of understanding about the use of government resources.
		So there was a sense very early on that the transition shouldn't be starting on the day after the election, but the transition should be starting much earlier.
		And now that actually the work that Bolton and Bush did really made its way into law.
		And now the committees that are appointed, the White House Coordinating Council, which has the president's representatives from White House offices on it, and some of the cabinet members are appointed early, six months beforehand, as the Agency Transition Directors Council is a group of the largest agency, the departments,
		the 15 departments, and then the largest agencies that they will meet on a regular basis and talk about what information the departments and agencies will provide for the incoming teams.
		And so the effort was by the Bush people: let's get an early start for our successor, no matter who it is, whether it's a Democrat or a Republican, that you want to make sure that above that is the proper functioning of government.
		Particularly, there's a sense that it's a time of risk between administrations.
		And so you don't want the government faltering in any way.
		So you want the people coming in to have information.
		You don't want to hold it back from them.
		And the area I think that has been very successful has been the national security area.
		That is an area that both sides understand where the stakes are very high.
		And the earlier you can start, the better.
		In the Bush case, Steve Hadley, the National Security Advisor, had his staff, and Bush was involved in this process and read the 40 memoranda that they provided on countries and on issues.
		That they could tell the story of what were the status coming in of the issue or the country, and what happened, what were the events that happened during their presidency, what were their responses, and what was the situation now.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Okay, I just want to pause some activity at the White House.
		Some vehicles pulling up.
		The President and the First Lady.
		Let's watch this for a little bit.
		The President and the First Lady, alongside the Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris, her husband, the first gentleman, Martha Kumar, this day is also about them.
		And talk about their role in this transition process.
unidentified		Yes, it's very important to have those events, those unifying events.
		And at the tea that traditionally takes place, both sides will be talking, and the vice presidential, incoming and the sitting vice presidents as well sit and talk together.
		And so it's another one of those signs of unity.
		Before this meeting takes place, though, the president and the first lady have an event where they meet with the White House resident staff who have helped them through their four years.
		And they thank them for the work that they have done for them.
		And usually they will go around to each of the individual staff members and talk to them.
		In the case of Bush, when he left, the staff gave him boxes that were made by the carpenter shop that contained the flag that flew when he came in and then the flag as he left,
		which were important memos, memoranda, memories rather for him and for the first lady.
		And I think they have those in their house in Dallas as important reminders.
		And he gave a short talk to the staff and told them that there were a lot of things about Washington that he wasn't going to miss, but he was going to miss them greatly.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		This is the, we're showing you St. John's Church.
		Let's hear from Sarah in Virginia, Republican line for our guest, Martha Kumar.
		Sarah, thanks for waiting.
		Go ahead.
unidentified		Hi, yes.
		I would just like to publicly thank President Trump and his family and JD Vance and their family for taking on this role.
		And as a small business owner, really hope that we can get the economy back on track and make America great again.
		Well, it is, you're right, thanking them for taking on this role because it is a big change.
		I remember with the Bushes when they were coming in and one of the daughters in college had been seen drinking, and that became an issue that got a lot of attention.
		And, you know, children aren't used to that.
		And it is an amount of attention that is unsettling to a lot of family members.
		So they really are taking on something that's very different from what they have known.
		And as far as the small business, Trump has talked about that, of trying to help small businesses, as did Biden with several programs.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		And Ms. Kumar, let me interrupt.
		I apologize.
		Here's the president leaving St. John's Church.
		President leaving St. John's Church.
		Martha Kumar, you talked about this coffee tea, I guess you called it, where everybody's heading to right now.
		Is it pleasantries that get exchanged?
		What's the tone of everybody in the same room, do you think?
unidentified		Well, you know, I don't know, but I'm assuming it's pleasantries.
		It's not going to be a discussion of executive orders that each are interested in.
		I mean, we've had a dueling executive orders where President Biden has issued orders, say, for example, the one on gas and oil drilling off of the two coasts, that he's limiting that.
		And when Trump comes in in a few hours, then he's going to reverse that order.
		And so that's a subject I don't think that they will discuss, nor as they ride up to the Capitol.
		Sometimes those rides up to the Capitol have been pretty frosty when there is a change of parties.
		But I think they have been trying to give a public face of little animosity, but their policy views are very different, and they've made that clear.
		And the campaign had a lot of bitterness to it.
		But what both of them, I think, are trying to do is set a different tone.
		Today is a time of a tone of unity.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Again, we're watching both St. George's Church on your left as the President and his wife set to leave.
		The White House on your right, that's their next stop in the activities of the morning.
		As we look at that, Cheryl in West Virginia, Independent Line, hi, go ahead.
unidentified		Good morning.
		I hope everyone stays warm today.
		And thank you for taking my call.
		I would like to say that today marks a pivotal moment in history.
		While many people feel uncertain about Donald Trump taking office instead of Harris, I see this as a part of a bigger design plan.
		Sometimes we must go through destruction to rebuild something better, not just for the United States, but for the entire world.
		And Trump's presidency, while it may seem chaotic, could be a catalyst.
		We need to dismantle outdated systems and pave the way for real progress.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Okay, Cheryl in West Virginia.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Ms. Kumar.
unidentified		Yes, I think he certainly has a plan for how he's going to try to deal with government to make it more efficient with the group he's put together that Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have to look for inefficiencies,
		which there have been a lot of commissions before it, but he wants to cut down on the number of employees and focus on ones that will support his program.
		So he has ideas of how he's going to try to make government more in a model of presidential direction.
		And how that works, we'll see.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Ms. Kumar, what do you think Donald Trump has learned this time around that he's applying to his transition that he didn't know before the first time he had to go through it?
unidentified		I think he learned a great deal.
		One of the things he learned is that the White House comes first, that you have to set up your decision-making system, and that's going to be at the White House.
		You have to carefully pick your chief of staff.
		And so this time he picked a chief of staff who, Susie Wiles, who ran his campaign and who was made very good use of his presence, of how often he appeared, and then also who got to be around him.
		The president's time is the most important resource that you have in a White House, and you can't just have everybody coming in that the president knows in a chaotic meeting situation.
		So I think he learned that he needed to do that.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		And pardon me, the motorcade leaving there, St. John's, again, expected to arrive in the White House just a few minutes from now.
		We'll show you that arrival when it takes place.
		Ms. Kumar, go ahead.
unidentified		Yes, and I think he learned also that to get a fast start, your appointees, department secretaries who require Senate confirmation, they're going to take a while to come through.
		So therefore, you want to fill the positions in the departments and agencies that don't require Senate confirmation and that are in a policymaking position so that you can get a fast start.
		But you also want to have people in the White House who are going to be involved in policy, in the policy direction, in setting the direction with the departments, but also following the implementation.
		And I think also he learned the importance of congressional relationships and that you can't do everything by yourself as president.
		When you're campaigning, you can talk about all the things you're going to do as president.
		But when you come in, you find, well, you know, you can make a budget, but Congress is the institution that appropriates money.
		So those relationships on the committees, and of course, with your leadership in the House and the Senate.
		So he has spent time with Mike Johnson in the House and with John Thune in the Senate to make sure they understand what his priorities are.
		And he's going to listen to them, but he's also going to tell them what he wants and ask how he can get things done.
		So I think he learned how to listen as well, that you can't just say that you want to do something and get it done.
		And I think he also learned from the first administration the importance of communications.
		That was something he's been very effective in doing, getting a sense of what the public thinks and being responsive to it and developing a narrative.
		During the time that he was president, in the morning, he would set the tone of what the issues were, and he certainly had everybody listening.
		And that's been an important strength of his.
		And I think that his staff has realized it, as have his opponents.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Motorcade back at Blair House.
		That's what you're seeing on your left and lead up to the next event on the president-elect's schedule, that tea at the White House with President Biden, the vice president, and others.
		Again, we're showing you that, others leaving St. John's Church still.
		That's what you're seeing right now as we're talking with Martha Kumar.
		Ah, that's Ivanka Trump, yeah, leaving there.
		And so, again, a host of people coming out, people you're going to see in and out throughout the day.
		Suzanne in California, Democrats line.
		Go ahead, please.
unidentified		Yes, good morning.
		First, I want to say I think we are the greatest country already, and Trump is inheriting a country with the lowest unemployment rate.
		There is probably nothing he can do about the food prices because that's worldwide.
		What he can do is something about the pharmaceutical companies and the big businesses taking over small businesses.
		I only have hope for our country.
		I still think it's the greatest.
		I worry about our social services and the cuts that he has for the so-called employee, the educational problems that we have.
		That I think we need to put more money into education and to pay more money for people that work, the firefighters, the policemen, the nurses, the teachers.
		And I only wish the best for our country.
		Thank you very much.
		Okay.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Suzanne, that's Suzanne in California.
		Ms. Kumar, a lot of people have expressed this before we show you pictures from the White House, as we show you pictures from the White House.
		But what the current or the next president inherits from the past president and how much that impacts, I guess, a record, a presidential record of the incoming president.
unidentified		Well, certainly Biden leaves behind a, if you look at it worldwide, we have the best economy in the world.
		I think there were a lot of things that he did that, like his Inflation Reduction Act and his chips and science, that he didn't get much credit for.
		He spent his time doing the negotiations for the legislation, and he didn't spend time trying to sell his programs to the general public and listening to what they knew or didn't know.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		If you could hold a second, let's watch this interaction between the vice president-elect Vance and the current vice president, Kamala Harris.
		The vice president, her husband, Doug Emhoff, the first gentleman, the vice president-elect, JD Vance, Usha Vance, his wife, all entering the White House in preparation for that tea.
		Again, the president-elect expect to arrive at the White House in just a little bit.
		Let's show you a little bit about what's inside going on in the Capitol as the events are starting to gear up a little bit there in lieu of today's inside inauguration.
		That's the outside of the Capitol.
		There's the inside.
		Again, these are the preparatory events.
		Martha Kumar, this inside event of an inauguration, it changes things.
		Give some perspective.
unidentified		It does.
		One of the things that was important to Trump from his first inauguration was the picture of a crowd that the inauguration, when it's outside, is on the west face of the Capitol.
		And you can see from where he stands out across the mall to the Washington Monument and to the Lincoln Memorial.
		But he has always been interested in crowd size and had pictures.
		In fact, there was a picture that they hung in the White House on the corridor that leads up to the inner part of the West Wing that showed the crowd a picture that showed a lot of people there.
		But that's what he likes, crowd size, a large crowd.
		And he would have had a very large crowd today.
		And so for him, it shows the very strong support that he has.
		And so you miss that part of the inauguration that is what we think of as the heart of it.
		This is a much more intimate operation.
		For the public, I don't know that the pictures make that much of a difference, but usually to a president, it does.
		But the main thing is that they become president and then they can start to work on that very day.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Rare that we give a guest a soundtrack, Martha Kumar, so you're lucky.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Let's listen to this choir a little bit.
layne staley [aic] ▲ ● ▼		One people one voice.
		Song for everyone of us.
		It's the sound of words.
		Song for everyone of us.
unidentified		This is the sound of one voice.
		One people one voice.
		Song for everyone of us.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		The University of Nebraska-Lincoln-Glenz Korof School of Music featured as part of inauguration ceremonies today, giving you a little flavor of what to expect later on as this inauguration ceremony takes place inside the U.S. Capitol.
		We've been talking with Martha Kumar about what to expect.
		Martha Kumar, what are you particularly watching for today in the events today?
unidentified		Well, I'm particularly interested in policy and seeing the president get a fast start and look at what he's going to be doing in terms of his executive orders on the border security, on energy.
		See, just I think they will give us a good sense of where he's headed.
		And then also looking at what Biden has been doing as well on this day.
		So I particularly like the sense of unity, of both sides working together personally, even if their policy differences are great.
		And the more that we can have people step back from the partisanship and try to work things through on a basis of the facts and what is necessary as far as what the public is thinking is I look for that.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		From Jasmine in Pennsylvania, Independent Line, you're on with our guests.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Go ahead.
unidentified		Hi, I just had a question about what you think young independent voters should look forward to with inauguration.
		I think I speak for a lot of young voters of the American people when I say that between Republican and Democrat, it's way too divided.
		However, I think if we simply focus on the votes and opinions and freedoms of the American people and how this country began off of and why her amendments are in place, then I think we will know we're doing something right.
		I think any leader, including President Trump, can say that they're for the American people, but we need to see it go forward or I don't think that we will ever see satisfaction in young independent voters.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		That's Jasmine there in Pennsylvania.
unidentified		Yes, well, President Trump was very tuned in to young people and where they were getting their information.
		In fact, he talked to his son Barron about what young people his age and older were listening to.
		And that's how he came to his interview with Joe Rogan.
		It was his son Baron who recommended that.
		So I think he's tried to tap into young people.
		And in fact, it's talked to about TikTok that he was opposed to TikTok in his earlier administration, but then he said young people had supported him.
		And he knows how important it is to the 170 million people here who use TikTok.
		But I think that you're right, the more that young people can get involved in following what it is that government is doing, the better off we are.
		Because then as you become homeowners and have jobs that you're interested in, that the more committed you are to taking part in government.
		And government, in a representative government, a democracy, it depends on the people and the people having knowledge and then the people participating.
		You can't sit back.
		You're right in that.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Deborah, Deborah in Alabama, Republican line, hi.
		As we watch people heading into the Capitol as part of the lead up to the inauguration ceremony later.
		Deborah, go ahead.
unidentified		Thank you for taking my call.
		My question primarily is this.
		Well, let me just segue in with a statement.
		I am a person who has had my home destroyed in a disaster.
		A tornado came through.
		My house was destroyed.
		And I had to jump through the necessary hoops to be able to get the loan from the SBA to be able to rebuild our home.
		And I was one who had insurance.
		But as most people, your houses are never really insured for.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		And caller apologies just to tell the folks Ivanka Trump heading into the U.S. Capitol along with her family.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Call her, go ahead.
unidentified		Okay, but my question is this.
		I saw where the outgoing president has promised the people in California with the fires that they are not to worry, that they will get what they need.
		And if I am not mistaken, I thought I heard 100%, but I could be mistaken.
		But the point I have is this.
		Some of the things the president-elect is wanting to do is going to require a lot of money.
donna in texas ▲ ● ▼		And I'm proud that he's gotten our Doge group together to help maybe get the extra funds that he needs.
donna in texas ▲ ● ▼		But with this disaster looming, I'm very curious as to how that promise that the outgoing president has made, coupled with the new president coming in, how that's going to be handled.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Okay, that's Deborah in Alabama.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		And Martha Kumar, go ahead.
unidentified		Yes, I think that you've put your finger on a big question there, because I think it's going to be very difficult to cut the money that Ramaswamy and Musk had said they would cut, which was $2 trillion.
		And they've backed off that to say $1 trillion.
		But we have so many programs that are mandated there spending Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and you have defense spending that I think there's a lot less fat in the budget than they think there is.
		So that is going to be a big question of where is the money going to come from and something we will all be watching.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		The WhiteHouse TransitionProject.org, the website for the project.
		Martha Kumar serving as the director, part of our inauguration coverage for today.
		Ms. Kumar, thank you so much for your time today.
unidentified		Oh, thank you.
		It was a pleasure.
		Thank you for the callers.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		We will continue on with our coverage of the inauguration of the 47th president, the incoming president of the United States, Donald Trump, just to give you some awareness of things to watch out for.
		Still waiting for the president-elect to arrive at the White House for that tea.
		The House of Representatives coming in for a short pro forma session at 10 o'clock.
		And we will take you also to that as part of our coverage today.
		But you can continue on with your calls.
		202-748-8000 for Democrats.
		202-748-8001 for Republicans.
		Independents, 202-748-8002.
		Text us at 202-748-8003.
		And as always, you can post on our various sites at Facebook and on X. Ben in Minneapolis, Independent Line.
		Go ahead.
unidentified		Perhaps we can all agree on three things and go from there.
		History is written by the OESA winner.
		The Tinsel and Glare are no strangers to cadets.
		I'd like to wish everyone a wonderful Martin Luther King Day, a peaceful transition of power, and ask how may one help.
		Good luck, Ben.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		That's Ben there in Minnesota.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		We go to John McCurdle.
john mcardle ▲ ● ▼		Pedro, as we wait for the president-elect to arrive at the White House for that greeting, that tea and coffee with President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, just to keep you update on what we've been watching on social media, including some of the attendees at that church service that Donald Trump just left.
		It's Josh Wingrove of Bloomberg noting that also there were Meta's Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Apple's Tim Cook, the head of TikTok, the president of Argentina, former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also in attendance there.
		Also, just a few minutes ago, this being posted by outgoing President Joe Biden, one final selfie from the Rose Garden with Jill Biden there.
		And of note, in and around Capitol Hill, this from Olivia Beavers, the congressional reporter, noting that Speaker Johnson had previously said that the House would raise U.S. flags for Inauguration Day to full staff, but operations are encountering an issue with it.
		Some of the cords are frozen, so some of the flags have not been able to be raised just yet.
		So if you see some of them still at half-staff, that's the reason why.
		Let me run through the schedule.
		We're again expecting the arrival of President-elect Biden at the White House this morning in just a few minutes here.
		There'll be that tea, that coffee.
		At about 10.25, 10.35 Eastern, they will then depart from the White House to go to the U.S. Capitol.
		They'll travel together, the Bidens and the Trumps, and they will arrive at the White House or at the United States Capitol.
		It's the rotunda where that ceremony is taking place.
		Let me show you one of the pictures of the rotunda this morning, the scene there.
		This is from Andrew Desiderio of Punch Bowl News.
		There's about 800 seats in the rotunda today for those who will be watching the inauguration.
		It will be an invocation that'll take place first with Cardinal Timothy Dolan and the Reverend Franklin Graham.
		Then there'll be a call to order by Senator Amy Klobuchar.
		She's the chair of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies.
		There'll be a musical performance by Carrie Underwood singing America the Beautiful.
		She'll be joined by the Armed Forces Chorus and the U.S. Navy Academy Glee Club for that.
		And then a multi-faith benediction, Rabbi Ari Berman, Iman Hushan Al-Husseini, Pastor Lorenzo Sewell, and the Reverend Frank Mann all joining for that effort.
		And then the festivities get underway in the Capitol Dome.
		Justice Brett Kavanaugh will be administering the oath of office around 1130 to JD Vance to be the vice president.
		And then Chief Justice John Roberts will deliver the oath of office for the president himself.
		He will then go to Emancipation Hall and give his remarks, Emancipation Hall, with some 1,300 seats, so quite a bit more than what can fit in the Capitol Dome.
		And of course, you can watch all of those remarks in their entirety.
		Also, this afternoon, there's that traditional inaugural lunch.
		Jake Sherman of Punch Bowl News with a picture of the scene.
		This is Statuary Hall.
		This is on the house side of the Capitol where that inaugural lunch will take place.
		And we also got an update from the joint inaugural committee on what the menu will be for that lunch.
		The first course, a course of Chesapeake crab cake paired with a Veritas Vineyards wine, that vineyard out of Virginia, Chardonnay.
		The second course, an Omaha Angus ribeye steak paired with Cabernet Sauvon from Napa Valley.
		And then the third course, dessert of Minnesota apple icebox tureen with sour cream, ice cream, and salted caramel, also paired with a wine.
		That's the menu for that inaugural luncheon that'll take place today.
		All of that set to take place here in Washington, and we're watching it all this morning.
		Hope you stay with us all morning long on C-SPAN.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Watching a lot of things happen.
		The arrival of the president at the White House, that's Blair House right there.
		The House of Representatives set to come in for a pro forma session just a few minutes from now.
		We'll take calls up to then.
		Vero Beach, Florida, Independent Line.
		John, hello.
unidentified		Hello, good morning.
		Thank you for taking my call.
		Thank you for your coverage this morning.
		Happy Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
		What a glorious day.
		Hopeful day to be an American.
		Dr. King said, everyone is great because everyone can serve.
		I hope that everyone, all Americans, can continue to respect the office of the presidency.
		I have certainly always done that, and it has been difficult and challenging over the last four years.
		But I'm hoping that all of us can come together, respect the office of the presidency, and celebrate this glorious, hopeful day for America.
		God bless.
		Have a great day.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		You're seeing the motorcade entering the confines of the White House right now.
		Again, the president-elect, his wife, Melania, others expected for that coffee and tea that John McCartle talked about.
		This is from Michigan.
		Mike, again, we'll go to this arrival when it happens.
		Mike, Democrats line, go ahead.
unidentified		Good morning.
		I was wondering if anybody remembers four years ago that President Trump had the Bidens locked out of the White House.
		Thought it was kind of interesting.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Jake, Jake in Connecticut, Republican line.
		In fact, hold on, Jake, just for a second.
		Let's watch some of this arrival.
unidentified		Current president
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		of the United States and First Lady Joe Biden, welcoming the president-elect, Donald Trump, his wife Melania, to the White House for that coffee and tea, expected to take place right now and then not too long from now.
		heading to the Capitol for the inauguration ceremony.
		C-SPAN's coverage continues on.
		And again, our main channels are available to you, our various platforms as well.
		Stay close to C-SPAN for today's events.
		Again, the House of Representatives coming in in just a short while.
		This is from Jake in Connecticut, Republican line.
		Thanks for holding.
		Go ahead.
		Jake in Connecticut.
		Hello.
		Okay, let's try Aurora in Ohio, Independent Line.
unidentified		Hi, good morning.
		How anybody is celebrating an inauguration of a convicted felon supported the fiscal incompetency of the leaving administration and has the conscience to sit idly by goes to show how powerless we the people really are.
		My name is Aurora Dawson, and I am running for Columbus City Council District 7.
		And it's time to stand up, have the courage to change wrong, and meet in the middle so that left and right can coexist.
		And that's why I'm an independent candidate.
		Thank you.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		David in Massachusetts, Democrats line.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		Go ahead.
unidentified		Hi.
		Thank you for taking my call.
		My name is David.
		I'm from Andover, Massachusetts.
		Yeah, I mean, I'm anxious.
		I'm concerned about this new administration coming in.
		You know, I'm concerned for my father.
		You know, he sparked his entire life.
		And, you know, I'm not sure with this current administration that Social Security is still going to be there.
		And then, of course, I'm concerned for my wife Emmanuel, who's transitioning, and I'm concerned whether or not they're going to be able to get the gender-affirming care that they need.
		In addition, you know, I don't know what's going to happen if they get deported.
		You know, I don't know what's going to happen if they get deported to the Dominican Republic.
		I don't know what I'm going to do.
pedro echevarria ▲ ● ▼		From this is Bonnie, Bonnie in Pennsylvania, Republican line.
unidentified		Hi, good morning.
		And I'd like to say thank you for taking my call.
		And I want to say God bless America and may God get all the glory for whatever happens today.
		And I wanted to address the previous callers' concerns about the cutting of the budget that the DOGE is going to be doing.
		They're going to address some of those issues by having the External Revenue Service and the fair and balanced trade agreements and getting that balanced more fairly.
		And they're going to get other countries to give more of the share of the funds to NATO so that America isn't fully funding.
		So that will address some of those issues.
		And the other thing I'd like to address is the previous callers' questions about what Social Security.

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