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Biden Inauguration: NY Rep. Paul Tonko Says President Set "Perfect Tone For Challenging Moment"

Rep. Tonko at the inauguration of President Joe Biden Jan. 20, 2021
Office of Rep. Tonko
Rep. Tonko at the inauguration of President Joe Biden Jan. 20, 2021

Joe Biden took the oath of office at noon Wednesday to become the 46th president of the United States. He takes charge in a deeply divided nation, inheriting a confluence of crises arguably greater than any faced by his predecessors. WAMC has been speaking with members of Congress from the Northeast who attended the inauguration. New York Rep. Paul Tonko is a Democrat from the 20th House district. 

Well having been to a couple of inaugurations now, the tradition is very celebratory and usually is just an exciting moment. And this year I think it was added to by just the experiences of this of this month. Just two weeks ago, as we can all recall, there was this attempt to overthrow our democracy by denying the results of an election. The devastation, the death, the destruction on Capitol Hill, I think was in the forefront of everyones thinking. And so this was a challenge to come through the darkness of just two weeks ago and to enable the nation to move forward.

So I think the challenge was there to the president elect, as he was inaugurated as our next president. And I believe he not only met that challenge, he far surpassed that challenge by addressing us with a boldness and with a straightforward genuineness to be there, all of us, in this effort to unite. Our strength is in our diversity and our empowerment comes with our unity. And I think his boldness in addressing that reminds us that we are a people is search of a more perfect union as was expressed by our founders, by the framers of our of our democracy of our republic. And so as we continue to search for that perfection, I heard in this speech a lot of challenges that we need to meet to work together.

He offered in a very straightforward and passionate way that he's thankful for those who supported him, but he wants to be the president for all Americans. He said it with great conviction and with great soulfulness. And as he said that, his boldness I believe, he was saying needs to be guided by truth and justice, to make the commitment to that truth and justice, and to rely on science. To be guided by facts, to reject lies. That will get us nowhere. So it was a very straightforward message. One of very sound boldness that I think we needed. We needed to see arising from the events of two weeks ago. I think that it was in a sense of rebirth. A resurgence of that American spirit that is guided by the greatness of America, as reflected in the good of her people. And if we're going to grow an even greater America, that will be driven by the strength of our goodness which is found in her people. I think it was a great response at a very tender moment. One that, as the youth poet laureate Amanda Gormin indicated, embraced her message of “the light of America is there if we choose to see it.” And I think Joe Biden, President Biden, put together a message and a challenge and a response that was veiled in optimism and citizen participation that enable us to see that light of America.

And again, the poet laureate reminded us that we should not dwell on what stands between us, but rather what stands before us. And so it was a perfect tone. It was a celebration as an inauguration, as many are. But this came at a very, very challenging moment. And I think the President again, showed his strength as a leader, his vision as a president to take us to a higher ground that is responding to our greater angels. And that I think was the empowerment that we needed. You know, it's oftentimes when we hear that experiences kicked aside that it's denounced in our choosing candidates for election. But I think Joe Biden basically was put into this position by the people of this country because of his experience. His ability to work with members of Congress as he's worked his way through the Senate to achieve great success, incorporated a lot of that successful outcome when he was vice president and was used as the agent to build compromise on the hill. And so with that experience, best that it is, I think that we see the opportunity here for a great comeback and only building greater a republic that requires all of our participation.

Now your party, the Democrats, will be controlling the Congress and the White House now, although by a very slim majority in the Senate. What should Joe Biden’s top priority be starting today, day one?

Well I think it needs to be moving forward with the unity and also addressing our diversity in a way that can enable all of us to universally respond. And I think it's by looking at the Voting Rights Act and making us mindful of not only our diversity, but our strength with that diversity and that we are hallmark of justice and truth. If we can lay that foundation, then there's all sorts of benefits that comes after that when he tackles some very difficult issues dealing with infrastructure, climate change, the COVID crisis, and healthcare in general. So I think that, you know, there seems to be, it's amazing how that moments of two weeks ago, maybe defining this administration in his presidency. Where people are looking for action now. Enough of this divide. Enough of this trying to conquer the democracy and resorting to lies and misinformation. He is going to build us on a basis of truth and science and justice. And that will, I think, be a tremendous shot in the arm for a country that had that darkness of just recent past.

In terms of the Congress, what would you say your top priority is for this new term given the fact that the Democrats have a greater chance to get things signed by the president now?

Right. Well, you know, obviously the COVID experience is one that all of us in Congress need to prioritize as high priority. We can't grow our economy or build back better until we crush the virus. And so I think that is a high priority for all of us, at least the great majority of us. But after that, you know, with my assignment as Subcommittee Chair on Environment and Climate Change, I truly believe that we need to get back into this business of responding to climate. To be a good global partner in the world's community, that understands that this is a global issue and that we need to be a leader there because we can benefit all the greater if we exercise leadership in terms of the innovation economy that results from sounder stewardship of our environment.

Decarbonizing so that our next generations will have a safer world in which to live. So I think climate takes on great significance. And coupled with that is infrastructure that will enable us to address charging stations and modernization of the grid and other infrastructure opportunities that will enable us to build back better and be ready to compete in an innovation economy that is worldwide in scope.

A lifelong resident of the Capital Region, Ian joined WAMC in late 2008 and became news director in 2013. He began working on Morning Edition and has produced The Capitol Connection, Congressional Corner, and several other WAMC programs. Ian can also be heard as the host of the WAMC News Podcast and on The Roundtable and various newscasts. Ian holds a BA in English and journalism and an MA in English, both from the University at Albany, where he has taught journalism since 2013.
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