# Is Biden being foolish to insist on an outdoor inaguration? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 14, 2021, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-biden-being-foolish-to-insist-on-an-outdoor-inaguration/930539 "2021-01-14T17:48:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 78
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2021, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-biden-being-foolish-to-insist-on-an-outdoor-inaguration/930539/78 "2021-01-20T01:30:02Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > When one set of decisions involves the oath of office being taken in the same spot it is traditionally taken, and the other involves “hiding in a basement”, then yes, they are different, and should be judged differently. It sounds as though you believe that the decision by Pope John Paul II, after having been shot, to travel in a bulletproof vehicle (the so-called ‘Pope-mobile’) should have been greeted with contempt and derision. But as this is P&E I won’t ask you if that is your actual belief. Responding to threats with measures intended to counter those threats is assessed by intelligent people as prudent, rather than being assessed as a character flaw or a failure of “leadership.” The indoor versus outdoor discussion is nothing to do with “leadership,” as there is nothing inherently virtuous about outdoor ceremonies as compared with indoor ceremonies. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-biden-being-foolish-to-insist-on-an-outdoor-inaguration/930539)._