When another US President refused to leave the White House .......... the Presidential election of 1800

Now, I doubt that by the time this goes out, the President of the United States will have conceded defeat, and so it is timely that this edition of the Long View on Radio 4 which explores another disputed US election is being broadcast.

I missed it on Tuesday when it was broadcast, but will be listening today as it describes the events of the Presidential election of 1800.

"It's been a Presidential race like no other with the internet and social media age insuring a bitter divide between the two sides and acrimonious debate throughout. 

And even at its conclusion there's dispute over the result. But does that make 2020 unique? 

Jonathan Freedland is joined by Historian Professor Adam Smith of Oxford University and commentators from both wings of the US spectrum, Kate Andrews and Richard Wolffe to compare today with what happened back in 1800 when another one term President, John Adams, lost an equally divisive election. 

And as with today's result Adams was far from content to accept defeat. 

Famously, he didn't turn up to the inauguration ceremony of his successor, the Republican-Democrat Thomas Jefferson.

Actor Kerry Shale reads the words of Adams, Jefferson and the extreme press of both sides. Did Adams come to terms with his loss? And what damage did the election do to his party, the Federalists who included in their number the now famous star of musical theatre, Alexander Hamilton.

Producer: Tom Alban"*

Location' the USA

Pictures; Flag of the United States of America, 1795-1818, Digital reproduction by Carl Lindberg, John Adams, pastel on paper by Benjamin Blyth Massachuetts Historical Society, Thomas Jefferson, 1800, Rembrandt Peale, White House

*The Long View of an acrimonious and disputed US election, https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000p6w0