Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States and Kamala Harris took oath as the 49th Vice President Wednesday. Twitter welcomed the change of guard in Washington with both joy and relief—Harris, especially, came in for special mention.
First off, the first tweet from President Joe Biden.
Now the real work begins, folks. Follow along at @POTUS as we build back better. pic.twitter.com/fHViqSqwp2
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) January 20, 2021
Madam Vice President had just three business-like words for her new role.
Ready to serve.
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) January 20, 2021
First Lady Jill Biden and the first ever `Second Gentleman’ Douglas Emhoff were as correct and loving as always.
Thank you for your faith in something that is bigger than all of us: that we will build a better world because we’re going to do it together. pic.twitter.com/k6JT7Os92N
— Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) January 21, 2021
Former president Barak Obama thinks the time has come for Biden to step into his shoes…
Congratulations to my friend, President @JoeBiden! This is your time. pic.twitter.com/LXzxGnBAfz
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) January 20, 2021
Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State and Democratic presidential candidate, congratulated Biden and Harris, but singled out the latter—she even had a surprise encounter with a member of the Harris family.
It delights me to think that what feels historical and amazing to us today—a woman sworn in to the vice presidency—will seem normal, obvious, "of course" to Kamala's grand-nieces as they grow up. And they will be right. pic.twitter.com/1gQOvmNipB
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) January 20, 2021
A highlight of an already very good day. https://t.co/9Zrb3r0Upr
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) January 21, 2021
Wife, mother, sister, auntie… and now, Madame Vice President. Today marks an amazing chapter for you, our family, and for our nation. We love you so much. https://t.co/Ijf3h0CqHh
— Douglas Emhoff (@SecondGentleman) January 21, 2021
US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar seems at a loss for words but then found, what she thought, summed it up. Have a look.
Alhamdulillah 🙏🏾
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 20, 2021
House Representative and Twitter star Alexandria Occasio Cortez or AOC as she is commonly known, wasn’t going to let Biden-Harris rest on their laurels, oh no, she wanted action.
A historic day. Congratulations to our new President @JoeBiden and our new Vice President @KamalaHarris.
Now we must begin creating justice, healing our planet, and improving the material conditions for all people.
The work is on all of us to organize and build a better future.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 20, 2021
Back home in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was one of the first to tweet his greetings.
My warmest congratulations to @JoeBiden on his assumption of office as President of the United States of America. I look forward to working with him to strengthen India-US strategic partnership.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 20, 2021
Congressmen P Chidambaram and Sanjay Jha couldn’t resist a political jibe or two as they drew lessons from the election of Harris and Biden’s speech.
I hope all our political leaders are watching the swearing in of Kamala Harris as VP of the United States and absorbing lessons on diversity and pluralism.
I also hope that INDIA will forever celebrate diversity and pluralism in this ancient land.
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) January 20, 2021
Dear BJP and Congress: I hope you heard Joe Biden, US President.
We are political opponents, not enemies. For the sake of India, let’s lower the ugly temperature of mutual hate.
— Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) January 20, 2021
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra immediately responded – and the Congress won’t like what he had to say.
Congress hits out at BJP as Biden & Harris take Oath ?? …but Why??
इसे कहते है “घर में नहीं है दाने,अम्मा चली भुनाने”
ये चिदंबरम और कांग्रेस तो ऐसे इतरा रहें है जैसे “बाइडन” और “कमला हेरिश” ना हो “राहुल” और “प्रियंका” ने oath लिया है!! https://t.co/OxR1ZLx9c5— Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) January 21, 2021
It takes journalist Mehdi Hassan to explain the amazing-ness of Kamala Harris as Vice President – er, through her dietary preferences.
The daughter of a south Indian immigrant, who eats idlis and dosas, just got sworn in as the vice-president of the United States.
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) January 20, 2021
Meanwhile, spare a thought or two for Mr. Donald Trump. Climate activist Greta Thunberg, for one, isn’t letting him forget her any time soon, not after calling him a ‘very old man’…
He seems like a very happy old man looking forward to a bright and wonderful future. So nice to see! pic.twitter.com/G8gObLhsz9
— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) January 20, 2021
NDTV co-founder Prannoy Roy expresses his excitement about Trump…
Ex-president Trump. Woooooohooooo. ✊🏽
— Prannoy Roy (@PrannoyRoyNDTV) January 20, 2021
And, amid the transition, former US ambassador to India Ken Juster’s parting gift.
This is my final tweet as the U.S. Ambassador to India. My tweets from this account will now be archived. However, please continue to follow this account and @USAndIndia for more on the U.S.-India relationship. Farewell India, until we meet again!
— U.S. Ambassador to India (@USAmbIndia) January 20, 2021
Lastly, the photo of the day—here’s looking at you, Kamala!
#CNN has obtained extraordinary images of young girls watching history-in-the-making: the inauguration of Kamala Harris as Vice President. I'll share 4 of them. Here's the fourth. pic.twitter.com/Lb9J5Mqoqu
— lisa mirando (@LisaMirandoCNN) January 21, 2021