Inauguration too touchy feelie?

[TorringtonDean]

Just watching the American Inauguration. There is little social distancing, everyone is too close together and they are shaking hands and hugging. Joe Biden, Obama, Clinton, Bush, Lady Gaga, J-Lo and all their hangers on. The virus will spread like wildfire. And the Democrats are meant to be in favour of social distancing! It’s making me deeply uncomfortable.

They still should have been distancing. Set an example. That country is in a really bad state and people need to see leaders behaving as they should.

These sorts are probably tested daily

Americans are more touchy-feely than the Brits. That's a given. And obviously everyone near Biden will have been vaccinated, including Biden. After the four years of hell under Trump, there's much to celebrate and be grateful for. And hope...

I was more worried about all the word salad, tbh. Thought Meghan Markle had written his speech...................

@EarringsandLipstick

OP YANBU!

I, too, was amazed at all the close contact.

Testing or not, social distancing needs to be at the core of how we all conduct ourselves. Especially with the high cases in the US.

Not sure why OP is getting hammered here!

Agree with this.

I think Biden has been televised getting his jab. But he was running over to people on the pavement shaking their hand, then touching all sorts of other people. Lots and lots of hugging. Terrible example as far as I can see.

I’m glad the criminal Trump has gone. But I thought Biden was going to take proper action on the pandemic! This sort of thing does make me wonder why I am bothering - wfh and staying home as instructed. I don’t think I’m being boring. This is important.

They might have been tested - I agree they probably were - but it doesn't send a good message when Lady Gaga is handed down the steps by a masked marine or whatever he was, and she's mask-free - looks very much one rule for celebs and another for the rest.
Can't see what was gained by having Lady Gaga there anyway - other than putting a finger up to Trump who couldn't attract the big names.

@torquewench

I just wondered why it has to be turned into a big showbizzy event? Saw a comment ealier about it being like half time at the Superbowl with Lady Gaga murdering singing the national anthem. Also dont get the fuss about there being a female VP, given how many countries already have/have had female leaders? About time they caught up...

I thought Gaga was great! I am not a fan but their anthem is brutaly hard I think - it jumps a few octaves!

At least the whole affair went off smoothly which must have been a relief to all who attended. As for lady Gaga!!! I thought she was bloody fantastic. No need for the other singer to be there. Gaga should have done a medley of tunes in my opinion.

Hopefully the new prez hasn't left it a bit late in life. He is not a young 78 year old if you know what I mean. He appears just a little frail.

They were all tested. It was on the news this morning

Testing doesn't pick up all cases, especially at the early stages.

I can’t see how it affects you. Unless you live with one of them?

Lady Gaga did a great job. That song is notoriously difficult to sing.

My 65 year old non vulnerable, non essential worker mom got her jab this week, purely through spending long enough on the online booking system.

If my mom has been vaccinated I can pretty much guarantee everyone on that stage has too!!

'They still should have been distancing. Set an example. That country is in a really bad state and people need to see leaders behaving as they should.'

Exactly. Wtf is wrong with these privileged prats. And I would have said the same if Trump had got back in. All the hugging fgs 🙄.

@TorringtonDean

I think Biden has been televised getting his jab. But he was running over to people on the pavement shaking their hand, then touching all sorts of other people. Lots and lots of hugging. Terrible example as far as I can see.

I’m glad the criminal Trump has gone. But I thought Biden was going to take proper action on the pandemic! This sort of thing does make me wonder why I am bothering - wfh and staying home as instructed. I don’t think I’m being boring. This is important.

If you think social distancing is important, why would the leaders of a foreign country not social distancing change your view? Are your own opinions so shaky?

My so-called beliefs are just in following the law. They have set a terrible example here. Hugging? In a GLOBAL pandemic? It affects me because this disease spreads globally. And it mutates. And I don’t believe tests are 100% effective or that every random Biden ran over to had been tested.

Yes I noticed the hugging. And how closely some of them were sat to each other. Seemed strange.

@torquewench Why the showbizz? Have you seen the opening of parliament ceremony here every year?? It's just the way they celebrate it - we have our traditions, they have theirs.
This is a once every FOUR year ceremony about the most powerful government's new head - and as for the female VP, it's a first for America and that is what is notable.

'If you think social distancing is important, why would the leaders of a foreign country not social distancing change your view? Are your own opinions so shaky?'

You must've missed the plethora of threads about Trump's team's poor social distancing and mask wearing. You sound like Sky reporters who have slated everything Trump has done but The Messiah/ Biden gets a free pass. Disclaimer I'm not a Trump fan, but let's be consistent with criticism.

I would assume they’ve been tested, and quite a few have had CV19 jabs. I watched Joe Biden have his, it was televised here in the US on PBS.

The jab doesn’t stop you spreading. This seemed like a super-spreader event. It also normalises hugging and hand shaking. Most people will think “oh well, they can do it so why can’t we”.

@GetOffYourHighHorse

'If you think social distancing is important, why would the leaders of a foreign country not social distancing change your view? Are your own opinions so shaky?'

You must've missed the plethora of threads about Trump's team's poor social distancing and mask wearing. You sound like Sky reporters who have slated everything Trump has done but The Messiah/ Biden gets a free pass. Disclaimer I'm not a Trump fan, but let's be consistent with criticism.

Oh, I feel exactly the same about Trump. And, for that matter, Cummings. And everyone else in authority who has not stuck to covid rules. If you know the rules, and you believe the rules are in place for the right reasons, why would the behaviour of someone in the public eye make you change your behaviour?

Cummings was hugely significant because up to that point most people followed the rules. After seeing his shenanigans and how he got away Scot free people then thought “what the hell”. It led to parties and protests.

Tests or not, jabs or not, I am staggered that all those old people were hugging!

They were supposed to be socially distancing, hence the spread-out chairs, the hand-bumps at the beginning. They're also all masked, outside, and had the podiums wiped down.

That's the public stuff. Invisibly, they've also all been tested nearly every day and I would place heavy money that almost everyone on the dais has been immunized. Some have talked about the fact that they also isolated/bubbled in preparation.

They did get carried away. But it's a damn sight more aggressively public health-minded than the previous administration. No dramatic, Evita-esque mask-removal on the balcony, that's for sure.