Biden was like my 5th pick in the primaries, he’s a moderate where we needed a progressive, and it was also so much work and so hard to get even him. I hope everyone can take a few minutes today and appreciate the hard fought victory. Winning even a little is hard, but we did it.

1/Today's Substack post is about Biden's chances of becoming a truly transformational president -- someone who will move U.S. economic policy onto a leftward track, as Reagan once moved it onto a rightward

2/Political scientist Stephen Skowronek has a theory that says we're due for a "reconstructive" President who will define a new paradigm for the next few

3/Like most people, I thought Biden would be an incrementalist centrist who would get little done other than restoring competence and morality to the executive branch (and that alone would have been plenty of reason to vote for him!).

4/When I read Skowronek's theory, I read it as a prediction of a Bernie or Warren presidency.

I did not imagine that Biden could be a transformational president.

BUT, it's looking like he just might be one!

5/Check out @mehdirhasan's rundown of Biden's rapid blitz.

BREAK: Joe Biden is inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States.

The Trump administration is over.

Technically another 9 mins to go for the official handover. But it’s a formality.

Biden: "This is America's day. This is democracy's day. A day of history and hope....Today we triumph not of a candidate but of a cause. The cause of democracy. The people, the will of the people has been heard. And the will of the people has been heeded."

"At this hour my friends, democracy has prevailed."

Biden thanks his predecessors from both parties "from the bottom of my heart."

With, perhaps, the exception of one.

Biden addresses the pandemic and its economic consequences: "Few people in our nation's history have found themselves in a moment as challenging as the one we're in now...but the dream of justice for all will be deferred no longer."

THREAD/ Taliban's messaging/ approach to Biden admin's policy review:
-high-level meetings with top US adversaries
-insists foreign troops will be targeted if not gone by 1 May
-repeats accusations of US non-compliance with deal (and insists a delay in withdrawal would be same).

Taliban repeating their view of Doha deal: smoothed the way for US to leave after "unsuccessful" 20-year intervention. A "safe passage" deal.

The more Taliban insist they are meeting deal's conditions, the less need for a "review." Almost as if to pre-argue a US policy shift. /2

But no Western official or international audience is convinced by Taliban claims alone. Even Taliban can't believe that.

Who is Taliban's audience, as they display rigidity on the deal's terms and insist their interpretation is justified? /3

Perhaps Taliban reached a point where offering compromise/ flexibility to US on withdrawal would be perceived as too weak among its own ranks.

Or the interpretation & expectation of a swift return to power was genuine - and everything US did the past year seems like welching. /4

Or, regardless of internal discourse, current Taliban assessment could be that US/NATO will not leave by May deadline.

Since US does not seem to have begun re-negotiating or bargaining on a withdrawal extension, Taliban might feel boxed in by that, obliged to posture. /5

President Biden sprung into climate action on his first day in office, but he will need to rely on his Cabinet choices to help deliver on his climate goals.

Here's a quick guide to the top 10 climate-relevant Cabinet nominees. THREAD ⬇️ https://t.co/OnCEjtaclz

1/ If confirmed, @DebHaalandNM will become the first Indigenous Cabinet secretary. As secretary of the interior, Haaland would steward 500 million acres of public lands, manage oil and gas leases, and be tasked with upholding Indigenous treaty rights.

2/ Former Michigan Governor @JenGranholm is Biden’s pick to lead the Department of Energy. She would help lead the transition from gas-powered to electric vehicles and start work on Biden’s goal of a 100% clean electrical grid by 2035.

3/ @Michael_S_Regan is Biden’s choice to head the Environmental Protection Agency, leading efforts to regulate industrial pollution and carbon emissions.

Regan founded North Carolina’s first Environmental Justice and Equity Board.

4/ Former Secretary of State John Kerry (@ClimateEnvoy) is Biden’s pick for special envoy on climate change. If confirmed, Kerry will have a seat on the National Security Council, guiding American foreign policy on climate.