On the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building besieged by a mob two weeks ago incited by his predecessor, President Joe Biden this afternoon peacefully assumed the oath of office as the 46th President of the United States, joining Kamala Harris, who became the country’s first woman, African American and South Asian vice president.

On those steps of a capitol built during the American Civil War, and stormed on Jan. 6th, the former Vice President and former U.S. Senator from Delaware received the oath administered by Chief Justice John Roberts and urged his fellow Americans to come together and renounce hatred and unhearing division.

“Today we celebrate the triumph not of a candidate but of a cause – the cause of democracy,” said Biden.

“Democracy is fragile – and at this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed.”

Pledging to be a leader not only for those who backed him but for those who didn’t, the President thanked his predecessors from both parties who joined him for the historic transfer of power.

His immediate predecessor, Donald J. Trump, was not present.

“This is a great nation, we are good people… we have come so far, but we still have far to go. We’ll press forward with speed and urgency because we have much to do,” said Biden, who pledged to lead the country in confronting and defeating white supremacy, domestic terror, lawlessness and hatred.

“My whole soul is in uniting America, and I ask every American to join me in this cause,” said Biden, who won all of New Jersey’s 14 electoral votes with a 57 percent to 41 percent over Trump and 306 to 232 electoral college votes nationally. “we can American once again the leading force for good in the world. The forces that divide us are deep and real, but they are not new. The country’s history has been a struggle… The battle is perennial and victory is never been assured. Our better angels have always prevailed. Enough of us have come together to carry all us forward. We can see each other not as adversaries but as neighbors.

“Stop the shouting and lower the temperature; without unity there is no peace,” the President said. “This is our historic moment. We must meet this moment as the United States of America If we do that I guarantee you we will not fail. We have never failed. Let’s begin to listen to one another again, to hear one another. …And we must reject the culture in which facts themselves re manipulated and even manufactured.

“We must end this uncivil war,” the President added. “There are some days when we need a hand and other days when we are called to lend a hand. In the days ahead, we’re going to need each other. We need to put aside politics and face this pandemic as one nation. We will get through this together.”