In an interview with Chris Ryan, Senator Maggie Hassan discusses her emotions at being present at the Inauguration of President Biden and Vice President Harris, reflects on how our country can unite, suggests the course of action which President Biden should follow in his first 100 days, and addresses whether the forces which divide us have brought our country to the brink.
Senator Hassan was moved by the historical importance of the day, especially in light of the horrible attack on the Capitol which had occurred only two weeks ago. President Bidenâs speech, which called for unity and an emphasis on Americans focusing on our core values, moved the Senator.
Despite the presence of 25,000, Senator Hassan believes that we should look upon this day as a continuation of the peaceful transfer of power which has been the hallmark of our republic. She feels that there is a call to action as the new administration and the new Congress gets to work. The Senator believes that we must first contain the pandemic and rebuild the economy, then we can address the crises of global warming and racial injustice.
The Senator believes that we need to move away from the political rhetoric which tends to divide us into two antagonistic camps and focus on what people have in common, such as the desire to make life better for the next generation.
In his first 100 days, Senator Hassan suggests that Joe Biden works primarily on the public health and economic crisis caused by the pandemic.
In the last portion of the interview, Senator Hassan says that to heal the political and racial divisions which face the country today, we need to put ourselves in another personâs shoes and work harder to find common ground.