took the oath of office in january, he's had to face challenges known and unknown. covid, afghanistan, the economy, and climate change. >> but with all of that on the agenda, was he able to keep the promises that got him elected in the first place? nbc correspondent monica alba takes a look. >> reporter: every year a president is in office tests the power of promise, marked with campaign pledges kept and those still unfulfilled. >> we're going to keep up the fight until we get it done. >> reporter: before joe biden was even sworn in, he knew the coronavirus pandemic would largely define the beginning of his term. >> to heal, we must remember. >> reporter: honoring the hundreds of thousands dead on the eve of his inauguration. >> this is democracy's day, a day of history and hope. >> the biden-harris administration launching a massive effort to get americans vaccinated. >> it's time to act. we can reduce suffering in this