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Articles by Ted Widmer
Marco Rubio is promoting troubling ideas about ‘western civilization’
‘The golden hour, but yet not quite the golden age.’ Photograph: Mark Schiefelbein/Pool AP/AP They had obviously worked hard on the backdrop – and it was magnificent. On 7 October, the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, delivered a major speech in Athens, outdoors, with the Acropolis behind him. The sun was setting, bathing the ancient scene, including the Parthenon, in the light of the golden hour. The golden hour, but yet not quite the golden age. This was not Pericles defending democracy.
Marco Rubio is promoting troubling ideas about 'western civilization'
They had obviously worked hard on the backdrop – and it was magnificent. On 7 October, the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio , delivered a major speech in Athens, outdoors, with the Acropolis behind him. The sun was setting, bathing the ancient scene, including the Parthenon, in the light of the golden hour. The golden hour, but yet not quite the golden age. This was not Pericles defending democracy.
Marco Rubio is promoting troubling ideas about ‘western civilization’
‘The golden hour, but yet not quite the golden age.’ Photograph: Mark Schiefelbein/Pool AP/AP They had obviously worked hard on the backdrop – and it was magnificent. On 7 October, the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, delivered a major speech in Athens, outdoors, with the Acropolis behind him. The sun was setting, bathing the ancient scene, including the Parthenon, in the light of the golden hour. The golden hour, but yet not quite the golden age. This was not Pericles defending democracy.
‘Take out’ Los Angeles and San Diego? Trump is beyond irresponsible
Donald Trump was in Nebraska on Monday, and though his long rally speech had elements of a performance, this was no Bruce Springsteen album. He offered another dark meditation on a world spiraling out of control, one in which the destruction of American cities is increasingly a possibility, unless Americans trust him to use the vast powers of the presidency to annihilate his foes.
‘Take out’ Los Angeles and San Diego? Trump is beyond irresponsible
‘We want honest,’ Trump said at one point, confusingly. Yes, we do.’ Photograph: Kent Nishimura/AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump was in Nebraska on Monday, and though his long rally speech had elements of a performance, this was no Bruce Springsteen album. He offered another dark meditation on a world spiraling out of control, one in which the destruction of American cities is increasingly a possibility, unless Americans trust him to use the vast powers of the presidency to annihilate his foes.
Trump invades the UN with a brutish speech
‘The power of persuasion has always been critical to presidents coming into the United Nations.’ Photograph: Selcuk Acar/Anadolu/Getty Images Expectations were low for Donald Trump’s address to the UN on Tuesday, and yet somehow it was even worse than expected. He does not perform well in formal settings, like chambers of government, preferring a blingier room, like Mar-a-Lago, or an outdoor rally.
Mark Carney is making an eloquent case for an alliance sidelining the US
The speeches keep coming, each building on the previous one, as the Canadian prime minister builds a case for a new world order that has strikingly little to do with the United States of America, the country that has led the west since the second world war. On 20 January, in Davos, Mark Carney proposed that the world's middle powers do more to support each other, in light of a “rupture” in the global order.
Mark Carney is making an eloquent case for an alliance sidelining the US
‘In his speech, Carney signaled his desire to build bridges across the Atlantic at a time when the US-Canadian relationship is badly strained.’ Photograph: Canadian Press/Shutterstock The speeches keep coming, each building on the previous one, as the Canadian prime minister builds a case for a new world order that has strikingly little to do with the United States of America, the country that has led the west since the second world war.
Trump's comments on the Falkland Islands reflect a fractured US-UK relationship
Last week, Donald Trump suggested in an interview with the British TV channel GB News that he might not help the UK if Argentina tried again to seize the Falkland Islands . It was a new low for UK-US relations. The “special relationship” (Winston Churchill's phrase) was never perfect, but the UK helped the US on countless occasions, from Korea to Iraq to Afghanistan.
‘All men are created equal’: America has lost its values. It’s time to go back to the founding text
It's America's birthday. Ear-splitting pyrotechnics will be heard across the land tonight, as they were a few weeks ago, after the cage fight at the White House. On 24 June, the administration launched the Great American State Fair, with "spectacular flyovers" from fighter jets and stealth bombers. Six 18-wheel "Freedom Trucks" are barreling down the highways, bringing history-lite pop-up displays, mainly to red states.
How Lincoln Changed Our Understanding of the Declaration
Near the end of his life, in 1825, Thomas Jefferson was thinking about the Declaration of Independence he had written nearly 50 years earlier.
Epoch Booklist: Recommended Reading for June 26–July 2
Mark Lardas,Jeff Minick,Barbara Danza,Dustin Bass 6/25/2026|Updated: 6/25/2026 History This week, we feature the enchanting life story of the creator of a popular children’s book character and an analysis of primary texts illuminating the Declaration of Independence.
Trump is desecrating the Lincoln Memorial – a civic sacred ground
The Lincoln Memorial has always been special. Its siting is perfect, facing the Capitol, across the length of the Mall, as if speaking truth to power. The symmetry of its proportions adds to its moral grandeur. It feels balanced and and open to all, like Lincoln's vision of democracy. That was consciously on the mind of the architect, Henry Bacon. It is not a towering monolith; instead, it invites the visitor in.
King Charles has saved the special relationship – for now
‘The visit did a great deal of good, using soft power to rub the edges off these hard differences.’ Photograph: Samir Hussein/WireImage In the end, it was a royal triumph, as King Charles and Queen Camilla managed to avoid all the mines in their path (the strait of Hormuz is not the only place where they exist), and deftly repair the “special relationship”. For another few weeks, anyway.
King Charles has saved the special relationship – for now
Ted Widmer In the end, it was a royal triumph, as King Charles and Queen Camilla managed to avoid all the mines in their path (the strait of Hormuz is not the only place where they exist), and deftly repair the “special relationship”. For another few weeks, anyway. There were plenty of reasons to be anxious, on both sides of the Atlantic, before the king's visit to Washington and New York.
Protecting civilians is a sign of strength – and an American ideal
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Protecting civilians is a sign of strength – and an American ideal
‘It is not a sign of weakness to protect civilians; it is the essence of strength, and a gesture of respect for the thousands of years of civilization that undergird all of us.’ Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images Far from expressing remorse for his threat to bomb civilian infrastructure, Donald Trump is doubling down as we approach his deadline for Iranian submission: 8pm ET on Tuesday.
Trump is flailing in Iran. Every word he says adds to the muddle
‘When the president was recently asked about a possible end date for the war, he replied that “We’re very far ahead of schedule”, then undermined his own response.’ Photograph: Shawn Thew/EPA During a White House ceremony on 9 April 1963, then president John F Kennedy bestowed honorary citizenship on former prime minister Winston Churchill, remembering how effectively Churchill inspired millions with his words during the second world war.
Trump delivered the longest State of the Union address in history … and ran out of steam
‘For long stretches, he read robotically from the teleprompter, as if tired by the ordeal of going up to Capitol Hill.’ Photograph: Getty Images In fulfillment of clause 1 of section 3 in article II of the US constitution, Donald Trump duly gave Congress “Information of the State of the Union” last night. Information … and more information. At an hour and 47 minutes, this was the longest State of the Union address in history.
Trump delivered the longest State of the Union address in history and ran out of steam
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Trump gets the Monroe doctrine wrong. He should take a page from Bad Bunny
Throughout Bad Bunny’s mesmerizing performance during the Super Bowl, the word “America” kept expanding, like an accordion, stretching out to embrace people of all nationalities. “Together we are all America,” his football read, and he obviously meant it, in the largest, most hemispheric sense. Near the end, after shouting “God bless America” (his only words in English), Bad Bunny ran through a long list of countries in the western hemisphere.
Book Review: ‘The American Revolution,’ by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns
You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load. Nonfiction In “The American Revolution,” an illustrated companion to a new documentary series, the conflict is global, gruesome and tearing us apart. An 1850s depiction of the removal of a statue of King George III from Bowling Green in Lower Manhattan.Credit...Johannes Adam Simon Oertel, via Alamy Nov.
Ken Burns Brings the War of Independence to the Unruly Present
‘The Beast in Me,’ Plus 5 Things to Watch on TV This Week The new Netflix series starring Claire Danes airs, and ‘The Golden Bachelor’ wraps up. Between streaming and cable, viewers have a seemingly endless variety of things to watch. Here is a selection of TV shows and specials that are airing or streaming this week, Nov. 10-16. Details and times are …
The Science of the Declaration
By Ted Widmer A couple thoughts heading into our 249th Fourth of July, since the great day in 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was approved (most of the founders signed it after the fact). It is worth commemorating its creation as a daring miracle of both literary art and science. First, we should remember the sheer courage required to sign the Declaration.
America's unsung founding father and revolutionary mark
By Ted Widmer JOHN HANCOCK: First to Sign, First to Invest in America's Independence by Willard Sterne Randall Published by Dutton 272 pages $34 When John Hancock scrawled his enormous signature at the bottom of the Declaration of Independence, it was a brave act; capture by the British might have meant execution.
'John Hancock,' by Willard Sterne Randall Original
A new biography by Willard Sterne Randall shows how 18th-century Boston's most popular businessman put his mark on the American Revolution. JOHN HANCOCK: First to Sign, First to Invest in America's Independence, by Willard Sterne Randall When John Hancock scrawled his enormous signature at the bottom of the Declaration of Independence, it was a brave act; capture by the British might have meant execution.
The (Parlous) State of the Union
Given that Donald Trump is a federal employee, did he, too, receive an email asking him to list five bullet points outlining his achievements last week? It would be quite a list.
Contrarians' Day Afternoon Roundup
Geeze, all I am reading about is how the sky is falling in. It is. There is no secret about it. Trump told us what he was going to do if elected, and guess what? He’s doing it! No surprise there but what is the DNC and the other talking heads doing about it? Nada, just talking and writing about how the sky is falling in. #$@%# All I would like to see is one strong Dem take charge of this moment and lead the way to getting Trump and his lackys, run out on a rail. But who is that?
Remembering the Real Presidents of Presidents’ Day
For most Americans, Presidents’ Day is little more than a mid-winter sales bonanza, a chance to buy discounted appliances with long names, like the GE Profile™ Opal™ Nugget Ice Maker + Side Tank, or the bObsweep Dustin Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum and Mop with 100-Day Dock. Like so many of our holidays, it’s become commercialized. Today, it’s about products more than presidents; about Lincoln Continentals more than Lincoln.
My Fellow Americans: Presidents and Their Inaugural Addresses
Every four years, the incoming president of the United States delivers an inaugural address in a tradition that dates back to 1789, with George Washington’s first inauguration. The address informs Americans—and peoples around the world—about the nation’s past achievements and its potential future. In a speech laden with importance, the president shares their fears, their hopes, and their deepest aspirations for the nation and for democracy.
a historian, Lincoln and the lessons of January 6
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Liz Cheney read my book: a historian, Lincoln and the lessons of January 6
The publication of Liz Cheney’s book, Oath and Honor , is bringing plaudits, once again, for her courage in calling out Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the constitution. From this historian, it brings a different kind of gratitude. Not only for her patriotism, which has already come at a cost, but for how she allowed the slow work of history to inform a fast-moving political situation that was rapidly becoming a crisis.
Liz Cheney read my book: a historian, Lincoln and the lessons of January 6
The publication of Liz Cheney’s book, Oath and Honor, is bringing plaudits, once again, for her courage in calling out Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the constitution. From this historian, it brings a different kind of gratitude. Not only for her patriotism, which has already come at a cost, but for how she allowed the slow work of history to inform a fast-moving political situation that was rapidly becoming a crisis.
Liz Cheney read my book: a historian, Lincoln and the lessons of January 6
The publication of Liz Cheney’s book, Oath and Honor, is bringing plaudits, once again, for her courage in calling out Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the constitution. From this historian, it brings a different kind of gratitude. Not only for her patriotism, which has already come at a cost, but for how she allowed the slow work of history to inform a fast-moving political situation that was rapidly becoming a crisis.
Searching for the Perfect Republic: Eric Foner on the 14th Amendment - And if It Might Stop Trump
Searching for the Perfect Republic: Eric Foner on the 14th Amendment – And if It Might Stop Trump Published November 15, 2023 The 14th amendment was passed in 1868, to settle important matters arising from the civil war, including how we define equality before the law.
October 2023 has been brutal. Consider the lessons of October 1973. - The Washington Post
October 30, 2023 at 8:30 a.m. EDT (Chloe Coleman/The Washington Post; AP; Henry Griffin/AP; Marty Lederhandler/AP; Eitan Haris/GPO/Getty Images) Comment Save October has been ghoulish by any standard, with a horrifying mass shooting in Maine, the outbreak of war in the Middle East, the ongoing trials of a former president, the unprecedented removal of a House speaker and a bruising 22-day struggle to find a replacement.
Meet the Beatles
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‘1964’ Review: Meet the Beatles
The Beatles’ first tour of America, in February 1964, was a musical sensation, recalling the rock ’n’ roll energy that Elvis had given the world a decade earlier. It was a cultural watershed, announcing the coming of a new generation. And Beatlemania was a media phenomenon, erupting at exactly the moment the Canadian critic Marshall McLuhan had coined the term “global village.” Telstar had been launched in July 1962, providing instantaneous communications across the Atlantic.
Essay | The Tapes That Doomed Nixon’s Presidency
By Ted Widmer July 20, 2023 10:04 am ET Fifty years ago, on July 16, 1973, the country was rocked by the revelation that President Richard Nixon had been secretly recording his conversations in the White House. Pressed by Senate investigators, a Nixon aide, Alexander Butterfield, revealed that the president had installed an extensive taping system and that the machines had recorded “everything.” Copyright ©2023 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8
How an Unconventional Approach to Religion Helped Shape a Divided Nation
LINCOLN’S GOD: How Faith Transformed a President and a Nation, by Joshua Zeitz Anyone who has enjoyed the privilege of examining the Lincoln Bible — on which three presidents to date have taken their oaths of office, including Abraham Lincoln — will know that the pages are immaculate, as if never opened and read.
The Fall of Boris Johnson: The Full Story - Sebastian Payne;
Synopsis The Fall of Boris Johnson is the explosive inside account of how a prime minister lost his hold on power. 'Delicious detail, break-neck pace' - Emily Maitlis 'Entertaining and illuminating' - Tim Shipman Boris Johnson was touted as the saviour of the country and the Conservative Party, obtaining a huge commons majority and finally getting Brexit done. But within three short years, he was deposed in disgrace, leaving the country in crisis.
Essay | The Ghosts of the 1972 Election Haunt This Year’s Vote
Presidential reputations have little to do with electoral performance. Abraham Lincoln, our most beloved president, did not even win 40% of the popular vote when he ran in 1860. Richard Nixon, arguably our least beloved, won an overwhelming victory on Nov. 7, 1972—50 years ago this week. When the results were in, Nixon had defeated South Dakota Senator George McGovern by nearly 20 million votes and by an even wider margin in the electoral college (520-17).
The Beatle Who Got Away
On their first night in Hamburg, the band members posed for a photograph, as if to prove that they had survived the crossing. In light blazers, dark pants, and tan cowboy boots, they had not yet settled on their look, and were staring in different directions. But, on the right, the bassist was locked in, radiating an attitude of pure rock and roll.
LINCOLN ON THE VERGE
Using a thoughtful and measured cadence, narrator Fred Sanders invites the listener to climb aboard the Presidential Special--the train that in February 1861 carried President-Elect Abraham Lincoln and his family from Springfield, Illinois, across eight states and countless whistle-stops to Washington, DC, for his first inauguration.
Perspective | A rare painting of Lincoln restores the emancipator to his full height
But three years ago, in a municipal building in New Jersey, I stood before a splendid living Lincoln, life size, in full color, with realistic skin tone, bright eyes staring off into the distance, the play of light flickering on his face. It was one of only three full-length paintings of Lincoln I know to exist, and the best of the lot.
The Fourth of July that Could Have Wrecked the Country
The Fourth of July that Could Have Wrecked the Country The nation was already a tinderbox—and then the firecrackers started going off.
The Fourth of July that Could Have Wrecked the Country
A Harper's Weekly illustration of July Fourth, 1861, at Union camps. | Library of Congress Ted Widmer is Distinguished Lecturer at Macaulay Honors College of the City University of New York, and the author of Lincoln on the Verge: Thirteen Days to Washington.
Perspective | For Presidents’ Day during a pandemic, remember the Oval Office science guy
On this Presidents’ Day, falling three days after his birth anniversary, Abraham Lincoln will be remembered in the usual way, as the preserver of the Union, the righter of wrongs and the brilliant wordsmith who spoke immortal truths to Americans. But there is another Lincoln, less familiar, who is worth remembering as the country continues to fight a pandemic that is far from defeated. Lincoln was a science guy.
Best Books on Abraham Lincoln
There are more than 16,000 books about Abraham Lincoln, America’s 16th president. You’ve agreed to choose the best reading about Old Abe and I insisted that we discuss your thrilling Lincoln on the Verge among the five. Before we hit the books, please introduce our international audience to Abraham Lincoln. There’s so much to admire about Abraham Lincoln. He comes along at a crucial moment, when every American knew a crisis was coming.
Lincoln and the Mormons
Disunion follows the Civil War as it unfolded. Mormons! America just can’t get enough of them. They are running for president — not one, but two of them. They have a runaway hit on Broadway. And 150 years ago, they were running in the opposite direction of the Civil War. Indeed, Mormons had been running away from the United States for some time.
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