At Inauguration, Cooper Calls To Strive For Shared Goals

Second-term North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is calling on residents to learn from the state’s recent triumphs and trials and commit to common goals. The Democrat made the remarks in an inauguration speech aired during a truncated ceremony Saturday for him and other Council of State members outside the Executive Mansion. There was no large open-air inauguration or parade because of safety concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, and several portions of the ceremony were prerecorded.  Cooper won reelection after defeating then-Lt. Gov. Dan Forest in November. Cooper's inauguration address emphasized continuing coronavirus challenges and condemned this week's violence at the U.S. Capitol.