Obama and Lincoln: Giving Thanks on Thanksgiving

It's time to give thanks on Thanksgiving to Abraham Lincoln. Somehow at moments of great crisis America manages to produce great leaders. February 2009 will mark the 200th bicentennial of one of its greatest, the railsplitter from Illinois.

I would like to suggest that Barack Obama, who represents the fulfillment of Lincoln's dream, deliver a speech on February 12, the anniversary of his birthday, about his significance from the Oval Office. Obama has already touched, in his Grant Park speech, on the need to bind the psychic wounds of a country willfully divided over the last eight years by its commander-in-chief. Obama, like Lincoln, represents the reverse. Lincoln's birthday would provide a sublime and patriotic occasion for Obama to expand upon his vision for uniting the country and to record the profound debt that all Americans owe the 16th president of the United States.

Comments

[GraceNeeded]

This is a great idea! WE are behind this suggestion 100%.

[mesmerised]

Accusing GWB of willfully dividing the country over the last 8 years is ridiculous. Call him incompetent or say you hate his political ideology, but to even suggest that it was his plan to create such chaos and hatred as exit - particularly on the left - is very weak thinking.

[SpaceCadet]

You're right, sort of. It was really Karl Rove who developed the scorched-earth, permanent campaign approach to governance. Bush was more the passive beneficiary.

[darthdarcy]

Bush divided a nation more untied than any time since WWII after 9/1...... and did it as policy during a time of war no less, for his own cheap personal and political purposes.....Karl Rove endorsing this or not it was Bush's choice his decision and will forever be his legacy, as our worst modern president ever.....and having done the most damage to our nation since, James Buchanan.....QED..!

[larry278]

If Barack Obama delivers a speech on Lincoln's birthday, many in the GOP will squirm & try to put a spin on BHO's speech. Some of the spin may be interesting. Most of the spin would be absurdly funny. The GOP could die laughing [& while being an object of ridicule].

[giemmevi]

Let us consider Abraham Licoln attentively though. Here's a Lincoln quote I used in my article "The strange relation between Lincoln and Obama" (http://changedirection.wordpress.com/2008/11/06/the-strange-relation-between-lincoln-and-obama/):

"I will say, then, that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races (applause); that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people. [...] And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race."

[SeanGardner]

I'm quite familiar with this quote. I also know of unscrupulous things lots of presidents have said about blacks. I also that African-Americans did not benefit greatly from FDR's NEW DEAL. Indeed, U.S. History is filled with presidents like Abraham Lincoln who were truly Renaissance Men in terms of their broad intellect and ability to pull together coalitions, but were lacking in terms of their ability to think incandescently on race relations in general.

But what's great about Obama is that he stands in a grand multi-cultural America that Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, FDR, and even LBJ never saw coming: growing, robust numbers of Whites, African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Latinos, Native-Americans, and Arab-Americans. Obama, a lawyer and historian, is keenly aware of what worked during the most heralded periods. And certainly, Lincolns period was legendary, epic, monumental, and enduring. What Obama is doing is saying, "this worked in 1861, and that worked in 1936, so let's see how that can integrate that in my administration for governing sake, and, simultanelously chart a new way of tackling race and ethnicity that proved hard for my predecessors."

Obama should not make any apologies for mentioning Lincoln, admiring Lincoln's fortitude, or even imitating certain aspects to Lincoln's governing style.

I don't expect for him to shy away from offering any sobering thoughts on Lincoln in the context of slavery and race-relations, or leadership and vision.

[illinoisan]

Lincoln said that before he met Frederick Douglass or saw what African-Americans could do on the field of battle.

Many scholars have concluded that John Wilkes Booth's assassination plot was galvanized when he heard Lincoln's final public statement favoring suffrage for black men. Lincoln was martyred for favoring equal rights and protections for African-Americans.

[SeanGardner]

When I think about Obama, I am reminded of my favorite Abraham Lincoln quote: "For nearly all men can stand adversity. If you want to test a man's character, give him power."

I love it. Because while struggle does provide the observer with a glimpse of one's character, I believe that power - real and imagined - provides you with a view of someone that doesn't always come through in adversity. But a position of power like U.S. Senator of President of the United States, gives a chance to see whether someone is impetuous or measured; idealistic or pragmatic; bold or timid; etc. Indeed, power rarely changes someone. If anything, it amplifies what's always been there. Who ever you are, its coming out.

I feel like we know a great deal about Obama already. A truly powerful man who ran the most efficient campaign in history, he handled the slights and smears from many of his detractors with the same ease and calm he handled the doubts and hand-wringing from many of his supporters. He started off the race as a powerful public servant. And as the power increased, his core coolness sttayed the same.

As our next president, I know he will represent the very best of what humanity has to offer. For he knows that leading my example is the best way to affect change. Like Lincoln, Obama is clearly up to the challenge.

[myskylark]

I think it's too early to say that Obama is clearly up to the challenge. No one knows if any President-elect is up to the challenge. Only time will reveal whether Obama lhas the makings of a great president. I certainly hope he has. He's smart and he's ambitious and I'm sure he will do his best. I also think he needs the support of Americans of good will from every party. I think he has made a good start by putting his team together quickly, and I'm glad he has stepped in to hold press conferences in an effort to calm the nation in such perilous economic times. The current occupant of the Oval Office is clearly unable tokinstill confidence in anyone for anything. Bravo Obama for breaking with tradition to meet an extraordianry need.

Good start - now best wishes for the future!

[SeanGardner]

"I think it's too early to say that Obama is clearly up to the challenge.

I disagree. Anyone who can come through the brusing and hazing that he endured during the primaries and general election should be up to the challenge of being president.