Let me say that again ─ President Biden.
 
It feels so good.  
 
A day or two before Inauguration day, I was so worried about then President-elect Joe Biden's safety I actually wondered if I should email Rachel Maddow. I wanted to ask Ms. Maddow to call Dr. Biden and urge her to encourage her husband to have an indoor ceremony. Roosevelt did that once. Of course, I didn't. I was that worried, though.
 
Having recently read the book and talked about "Lincoln on the Verge" detailing Lincoln's 13-day trip to D.C. from Illinois, I couldn't help but think about the similarities. People wanted to kill Lincoln. The trip was a nightmare for those responsible for his safety. He kept getting out off the train to talk to the people. But, he made it.

​I remember watching President Obama and his family on the customary "walk down the street" to the White House after his inauguration. "Get back in the car," I urged. And, here we were again. Eighty-one million of us voted for Joseph Biden. He is our president. As he, Dr. Biden and members of their family "walked down the street," I silently wished them back in the car.

High Expectations

We all have high expectations of the Biden presidency. We're relieved, yes, but we also expect a lot from his administration. As Jesus said in the film, "Jesus Christ Superstar," ─ "I'm just one man," ─ so Joseph R. Biden is just one man.  (I just had to throw a film reference in here. Cut me a little slack.)
 
President Biden knows better than anyone what needs to be done. He surrounded himself with a superb group of gifted people to help him move the country forward. He is the most qualified man on the face of the earth to step into this presidency. Hands down.
 
Still, he is just one man. We need to remind ourselves of the importance of teamwork, and temper a tendency to expect the President to be a knight in shining armor on a white horse coming to our rescue. We have to work with Joseph Biden and Kamala Harris to repair the damage of the last four years and "build back better." President Biden needs our help. We can't let him down.

The poet who will carry on a tradition and present her new work, "The Hill We Climb" at the inauguration tomorrow is already quite accomplished at the age of 22. Jeffrey Brown talked to Amanda Gorman to learn more, as part of the ongoing PBS arts and culture series, "CANVAS."

Watch the interview below or read the transcript at the PBS News Hour website.

With the election of Abraham Lincoln, Nancy Kendall’s world was about to enter one of the most volatile chapters in the history of the American Experience.
 
On the eve of the Civil War, President-elect Lincoln traveled two weeks on the long train trip from Springfield, IL, to Washington D. C. for his inauguration. Newspapers were the only reliable form of mass communication at the time. The citizens of a troubled nation wanted to know their new president on a more personal level than newsprint could offer. As Lincoln wound his way through cities both small and large, he got off the train at each stop to speak directly to the people.
 
Lincoln was in terrible danger as he traveled east whether he took it seriously or not. As he prepared to assume the office of President of the U.S., alarm bells were going off in the minds of those involved in not only the inaugural preparations, but also those in charge of security during the perilous trip to D.C. Provocateurs plotted against the president-elect and planned various, often violent actions to obstruct him along the way. 

Historian Ted Widmer examines this 13 day journey in his book, "Lincoln on the Verge: Thirteen Days to Washington."  

​In a World Affairs Council Dallas/Forth Worth interview, Widmer and fellow historian Jeffrey Engel discuss Lincoln's "odyssey to save democracy" as he traveled from Springfield to Washington D.C. 

​The parallels between Lincoln's election and inauguration and that of President-elect Joseph Biden are striking. Biden steps on a stage every bit as fraught with dangers. He assures the citizens of the U.S. that he is not afraid to meet the challenges as our leader, and he cares deeply for "we the people."
 
Next time: Thoughts about President-elect Joe Biden as he faces leading a country  filled with unrest.