Priorities

By Baxter

Joe Biden has wanted to be President for at least 30 years if not more. On Wednesday, he'll finally get his wish —but this Inauguration isn't going to be like Inaugurations past.

We're in a pandemic. So we already knew there would be major differences. No big crowds at the swearing in, no throngs lining the parade route, no Inaugural Balls. That already was a bit of a shame — a kind of aw, shucks moment when you realize that Joe and Jill won't get to dance that big first dance, and Jill won't have a gown to donate to the Smithsonian's First Ladies hall.

On the other hand, Joe and Jill are grownups who have been around the Washington block quite a few times. So you knew they'd roll with it.

But the person whose seat Biden is taking in the the Oval Office is not normal. Already a mobster and traitor, Donald Trump is also a deeply damaged sociopath and narcissist. So he never called Biden to concede, never hosted him for the symbolic outgoing-incoming Presidential visit, and — to put it mildly — never cooperated with the transition. (We won't get into inciting violence and undermining democracy.) He never placed the traditional phone call to invite the Bidens to stay at Blair House on Inauguration Eve (the State Department did it). Coffee at the White House on Inauguration morning is obviously out. And who thinks he'll leave a note in the drawer of the Resolute Desk, wishing Biden well?

The good news? Joe Biden doesn't care about any of this. And neither do we. All we ask is for our new President and Vice President get safely sworn in on Wednesday. The rest is gravy. (Or tuna.) We cats PURR.