President for years Joe Biden He emphasized that the peaceful transfer of power is essential to preserving American democracy. This Wednesday, he has a chance to show what he means by hosting the president-elect. Donald Trump In the White House.

It was a stark contrast to four years ago. On the same date in 2020, Trump is still refuse to accept choiceAlthough the race was called for a week, he instead chose to spread conspiracy theories that culminated in a deadly attack on the US Capitol on January 6.

Biden has spent the last four years warning about the danger Trump poses to democracy, including two years when the two men campaigned bitterly against each other directly. Trump made a false call to Biden “Destroyer of American democracy.”

Still, the two sat side by side in front of a roaring fireplace at the White House and answered reporters’ questions. Trump later praised Biden to the New York Post. “It’s going very smoothly,” he said. he told the outlet On Thursday, Biden emphasized that he has a “very, very good relationship” with the White House.

This was also more than a photo shoot. The Biden administration is also working with Trump’s transition team on a vital bureaucratic process to begin the transfer of the federal government machinery. The day after the 2024 election, the General Services Administration released a statement. expression Acknowledging Trump’s victory, he said the agency “stands ready to work with President-elect Trump’s transition team to complete the necessary agreement to obtain GSA administrative services and support.”

This was a contradiction. Trump’s refusal to concede in 2020 even extended to these behind-the-scenes efforts, with Trump appointing Emily Murphy to head the General Services Administration. Ministry’s acceptance of Biden’s victory postponed. These actions not only further legitimized Trump’s false denial of his election loss, but also disrupted mundane but vital obligations designed to keep the executive branch running smoothly, such as assigning email addresses and office space, allocating salaries, and more .

Another moment of contrast is coming, which will be even more important. In 52 days, on January 6, Vice President Kamala Harris will preside over the U.S. Senate, fulfilling her duty to count the electoral votes and document her own election loss. He will follow this by standing in the same spot overrun by pro-Trump extremists, threatening to hang his predecessor for doing what every vice president before him has done.

Vice President-elect JD Vance has a sacred duty in question If he was in this position, he wouldn’t be able to perform in 2020.

In all these actions, Biden and Harris lead by example. These moments show that their commitment to democracy goes deeper than their own political ambitions and the importance of the norms Trump seeks to trample. But this will be a brief respite for Biden’s presidency, the last gasp of normalcy in the executive branch and the calm before the storm of Trump’s second term.

Watch for more thought-provoking insights from Michael Steele, Alicia Menendez, and Symone Sanders-Townsend “Weekend” every Saturday and Sunday at 8 a.m. ET on MSNBC.