Back to Podcasts The Worst Transition in U.S. History, with Ted Widmer Abraham Lincoln faced the worst circumstances during a presidential transition in U.S. history, with seven Southern states having seceded from the Union before he took the oath of office on March 4, 1861. Historian Ted Widmer tells host David Marchick about Lincoln’s two-week train ride from Illinois to Washington, D.C. in February 1861 that helped him find his voice, build public support, and set the tone for his presidency. He also describes how Lincoln navigated around a plot to assassinate him in Baltimore. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
