Biden's speech was surprisingly good, and I even agreed with some 90% of it - the result, in part, of it being at such a high level of generality. A few lines resonated such as that politics should not be a "fire" that consumes everything, and that America should lead by the "power of example" and not just the "example of our power." At the very least, a great improvement over Trump's speeches and behavior.
Early indications suggest that the new administration can do a lot of good on issues like immigration, trade, rebuilding America's position and image in the world, and restoring adherence to some basic norms of liberal democracy. There is a substantial list of other issues where its agenda seems likely to be seriously flawed, including a high proportion of what they want to include in the new "stimulus" bill. I hope the closely divided Congress will put some constraints on these downsides, as might the judiciary.
It is also notable that Biden seemed healthy and vigorous, belying claims that he's somehow senile and decrepit. Though I recognize that appearances can be deceptive, and that the health of a 78-year old man in a high-stress job can potentially deteriorate quickly.
Much remains to be done to overcome the legacy of Trump, which is not just about the flaws of one man, however awful, but even more about the evils of nationalism, which will not easily disappear from the scene, even if Trump does.
For the moment, I am happy that Trump is gone from power (more happy than I have ever been about the departure of a president - and it's not because I was a big fan of all the others!). And also happy that his bid to reverse the outcome of the election ended in dismal failure.