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Americans are probably used to similar sights at this point of the coronavirus pandemic, but many journalists were still struck by images of an empty Statuary Hall ahead of President Biden's address to Congress on Wednesday night.

Before such a speech (Biden is technically not giving a State of the Union address because it's his first year in office, but it will serve a similar purpose), the hall is usually filled to the brim with members of the media, as well as lawmakers waiting to be interviewed. Given health and safety protocols this year, however, it looks like a ghost town. Tim O'Donnell