There were superficial reasons—when he thundered on the political scene at the Democratic Convention in 2004 and then rode on the wave of that thunder to his election in 2008—to compare Barack Obama with Abraham Lincoln. There was the Illinois connection, for instance, and the gifted orator connection, and the “new birth of freedom” connection. Add to these the evident high esteem, even reverence, held by Obama for that towering mentor of his spirit, and it is easy to link the two of them. But what about things deeper than the surface?
A sobering intimation arose in me, in the wake of the euphoria following Obama’s election, that if the similarities between him and Lincoln did, in fact, go deeper, then it would most clearly be revealed if adversity, not smooth sailing, is what he would meet, if failure, not success, is what he would have to deal with. For it was the manner in which Lincoln met adversity and failure which taught us the most.
It is safe to say, six years later, that adversity indeed is what Obama has faced, along with the failure to achieve much that he had hoped to achieve. We now know with dismaying clarity how white-hot is the determination of a sizable minority that this President utterly fail, that his major healthcare achievement be gutted and that his every new proposal be obstructed.
The point here is not to argue politics and policies. The point is to bring the memory of Abraham Lincoln to bear on the present presidency, to see what it might tell us about the character of Barack Obama.
If anyone knew adversity from the beginning of his presidency, it was Abraham Lincoln. Even before he took office, seven Deep South states had seceded because he had been elected. Though he would not, because constitutionally he could not, touch slavery where it already existed, he made it clear, as did the Republican platform he ran on, that he would do everything in his power to prevent its extension. And then on the very day he was sworn in, he received a telegram about the crisis brewing at Ft. Sumter in Charleston Harbor that could inaugurate civil war. Adversity from the start, and few, if any, pleased.
Listen to Frederick Douglass, himself one of Lincoln’s harshest early critics:
“Reproaches came thick and thin upon him from within and from without, and from opposite quarters. He was assailed by abolitionists; he was assailed by slaveholders...Viewed from the genuine abolition ground, Mr. Lincoln seemed tardy, cold, dull, and indifferent; but measuring him by the sentiment of his country, a sentiment he was bound as a statesman to consult, he was swift, zealous, radical, and determined.”
Another of his early critics from the Left, Harriet Beecher Stowe, at first lamented Lincoln’s tardiness, coldness, dullness and indifference, but over time came to see deeper.
“Lincoln is a strong man, but his strength is of a peculiar kind...It is the strength not so much of a stone buttress as of a wire cable. It is a strength swaying to every influence, yielding on this side and on that to popular needs, yet tenaciously and inflexibly bound to carry its great end.”
Fast forward to Barack Obama. While his most vituperative critics are on the Right, the Left has hardly been kind to him when he has compromised on so much, delayed acting on so much, seemingly vacillated on so much. Assailed from both sides certainly fits, as does wire cable, swaying and yielding this way and that, yet tenaciously holding to the great end of a more just and compassionate nation.
But we haven’t yet touched what to me is the biggest thing, the thing that reveals character at its deepest. Breadth of vision and strength of will are indeed essential, but so too are capacity for empathy and kindness of heart. We go back to Abraham Lincoln for perhaps the purest expression.
“With malice toward none, with charity for all...What I deal with is too vast for malicious dealing...As I have not felt, so I have not expressed any harsh sentiment towards our southern brethren. I have constantly declared, as I really believed, the only difference between them and us, is the difference of circumstances. I have meant to assail the motives of no party, or individual; and if I have, in any instance (of which I am not conscious) departed from my purpose, I regret it.”
He didn’t just talk it, he lived it. No wonder Abraham Lincoln is loved by so many.
And no wonder many of us still stand back amazed at Barack Obama, yes, partially for his vision that our country must return to being of the people and not of the corporations, and yes, partially for what he has managed to achieve despite entrenched opposition, but equally for how he is responding to his failures, for how he is not responding in malice to the unrelenting disparagement heaped upon him. Will he continue to live according to the values which Lincoln not only espoused but lived? We of course don’t know, as disillusionment has been known to spring like a brigand from the bush. But if six years of testing have not found Obama wanting, if he has neither returned rancor for rancor nor stopped tenaciously fighting for what he believes, we may have here, I submit to your consideration, the real McCoy, meaning a worthy carrier of the spirit of Abraham Lincoln.
Even though Maya Angelou addressed the following to her sisters, may each of us, in her or his heart, hear the exhortation from this phenomenal woman, who has just left us but whose spirit will never leave us, never to disown either our sweetness or our steel.
“Women should be tough, tender, laugh as much as possible, and live long lives. The struggle for equality continues unabated, and the woman warrior who is armed with wit and courage will be among the first to celebrate victory...You keep your sweetness always but inside that sweetness is a ball of steel.”
May your brothers as well as sisters be listening, Maya. May Barack Obama be listening. May each citizen not only of America but of Earth be listening for the sake of the only family. In our darker moments may we neither give up nor lash out. May we hold to sweetness without relinquishing the wire cable, the steel ball. May we listen to Abraham Lincoln from the wings urging us to allow ourselves once again to be touched by the better angels of our nature.
Your comment was posted successfully! Thank you!
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/fortnite-v-bucks-codes-free-list-2024-daily-redeem-code-5pkne
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/free-v-bucks-codes-april-2024-fortnite-epic-game-player-iptme
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/free-v-bucks-code-unused-list-2024-vbucks-emotes-outfits-c9rwe
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/get-vbucks-fortnite-v-bucks-generator-2024-working-updated-pwi3e
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/freefortnite-v-bucks-generator-april-10-2024-apsao-exodus-esportss-gapfe
-
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/epic-games-free-robux-generator-2024-free-robux-new-codes-daily-cjwre
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/free-robux-methods-updated-all-ways-get-without-paying-pockemon-sxebe
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/free-robux-generator-tools-2024-every-players-can-get-april-update-gi3se
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/working-free-roblox-robux-codes-generator-2024-tool-pockemon-bmexe
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/epic-games-free-robux-generator-2024-free-robux-new-codes-daily-v1sue
-
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/free-tiktok-followers-likes-generator-new-method-2024-human-de3ae
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10000-free-tiktok-followers-generator-2024-get-free-likes-pegie
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-get-1k-followers-tiktok-5-minutes-mario-kart-8-zbsre
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-get-1000-followers-tiktok-24-hours-free-mario-kart-8-ylzie
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/50000-free-tiktok-followers-generator-2024-get-free-likes-ephne
-
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/get-vbucks-fortnite-v-bucks-generator-2024-working-updated-jezue
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/true-offers-free-fortnite-v-bucks-codes-generator-2024-verification-kxgie
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/free-v-bucks-code-unused-list-2024-vbucks-emotes-outfits-jdhhe
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/guides-free-v-bucks-codes-march-2024-get-2800-vbucks-one-dehpe
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/free-fortnite-v-bucks-generator-get-epic-games-collect-codes-q0kqe
https://tensor.art/articles/906433482081717891
https://tensor.art/articles/906434496767738174
https://tensor.art/articles/906435429849402420
https://tensor.art/articles/906435813175214099
https://tensor.art/articles/906436360783551908
https://tensor.art/articles/906438993598513940
https://tensor.art/articles/906439433832658594
https://tensor.art/articles/906439793536204391
https://tensor.art/articles/906440283162414079
https://tensor.art/articles/906440721249081427
https://tensor.art/articles/906441595274929962
https://tensor.art/articles/906441970010861464
https://tensor.art/articles/906442280322220576
https://tensor.art/articles/906442604592252900
https://tensor.art/articles/906444029447684271
https://tensor.art/articles/906445325454054077
https://tensor.art/articles/906445647576603431
https://tensor.art/articles/906446072778368480
https://tensor.art/articles/906446355172486874
https://tensor.art/articles/906446694474904516
https://tensor.art/articles/906447664063763661
https://tensor.art/articles/906447956121540530
https://tensor.art/articles/906448230999448439
https://tensor.art/articles/906448566006899278
https://tensor.art/articles/906448834442358133
https://tensor.art/articles/906450296878726429
https://tensor.art/articles/906450601821340645
https://tensor.art/articles/906450878846739319
https://tensor.art/articles/906451141913489539
https://tensor.art/articles/906451423233848688
https://tensor.art/articles/906452458320970823
https://tensor.art/articles/906452833056872492
https://tensor.art/articles/906453253963670365
https://tensor.art/articles/906453507366742440
https://tensor.art/articles/906453805866960526
https://tensor.art/articles/906454718547528196
https://tensor.art/articles/906455019195240994
https://tensor.art/articles/906455298368116944
https://tensor.art/articles/906455588278399657
https://tensor.art/articles/906455849197666880
https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/134862283
https://www.TwosApp.com/68be9fc5c212e41926d6a550
https://id.carousell.com/p/vdabserwgewge-1391452274/
https://www.tipga.com/e/68bea1f53286fe2ea1013c35
https://challonge.com/vxzpm1zy
https://brainly.ro/tema/11815895
https://www.surveyking.com/survey/jenx2
https://www.deviantart.com/varkenanas/art/1239297800
https://scrapbox.io/Fullmovies4K/STREAMING_VF_2025
https://developers.fogbugz.com/default.asp?discuss.1.1127.0
https://movies-web.mystrikingly.com/blog/bteshesgwge
https://moviesweb4k.mybloghunch.com/brvdsrbnesr
https://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/makbongki/diary/202509080000/
https://telegra.ph/vdnhvsdgrgre-09-08
https://www.bankier.pl/forum/temat_bvsbrhreswvfds,72024165.html
https://tooter.in/miayokohan/posts/115168011937852250
http://ofbiz.116.s1.nabble.com/vdfsbreggegre-td4912175.html
https://celtindependent.com/advert/vdsasvrewgwgew/
https://bukhariancommunity.com/advert/vrswbhrwgwgew/
https://urlquery.net/queue/da3e0e5e-701b-4524-b5ee-5cf7d5e69233
https://hackmd.io/9L2Kwp4sRQivUNtz15qMPw/r1Z0HQhcxx https://wokwi.com/projects/441519627515448321 https://playcode.io/2535819 https://codepen.io/Dukunulosowo-Nyokotan/pen/yyYwvMZ https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OZciEtjuHfjv0omybSV/-OZci_oP1C9I7GNBGV6U/source https://app.daily.dev/posts/vdabhneregewger-zagzjlfu8 https://gasteyus.hashnode.dev/vdsbferbreb https://matters.town/a/nj830o23qzfw https://medium.com/cibiremarukocan/bragaberagr-8bffb48f2ed2
https://gns3.com/community/discussions/bvetsthbesbrerecs/
https://forum.thecodingcolosseum.com/topic/89015/vdbrewgbrgrgre
https://herbalmeds-forum.biolife.com.my/d/284080-vdbradrgedvds
https://profile.hatena.ne.jp/samantaloreza/profile
https://muckrack.com/samanta-lore/bio
https://www.bitsdujour.com/profiles/iraqgR
https://ilm.iou.edu.gm/members/samantaloreza/
https://schoolido.lu/user/samantaloreza/
https://tinhte.vn/members/samantalore.3341189/
https://www.collcard.com/post/399919_https-tensor-art-articles-906433482081717891-https-tensor-art-articles-906434496.html
https://community.wongcw.com/posts/1148819
https://vibnix.com/posts/31636
https://abhira.in/posts/250903
https://maxfilmsvip.theblog.me/posts/57406950
https://www.jobin.co.za/cv/sulaiman-nabeo-378713.html
https://pastelink.net/w2tbvx69
https://rextester.com/EBYVE19868
https://yamcode.com/ntrdrthtrhtr
https://paiza.io/projects/L63WMrG3hkZX-QOnnJsmeA?language=php
https://output.jsbin.com/wolobuzafi
https://onlinegdb.com/RX1fdoLM9
https://glot.io/snippets/hax57vsz3d
https://pastee.dev/p/UdkN7bMx
https://rentry.co/urvzkm7f
https://snippet.host/tvntfp
https://paste.rs/T6CTD.txt
https://etextpad.com/public/lrtkqcjwmo
https://ideone.com/mCC755
https://jsitor.com/_jnuvdBZaPx
https://www.wowace.com/paste/4e01e053
https://paste.myst.rs/7rkp658q
https://paste.kodi.tv/mucoyedoge
https://p.ip.fi/BEs-
https://paste.gd/uSfyOSri
https://paste.thezomg.com/368151/57327901/
https://onecompiler.com/html/43w4ggcyx
https://freepaste.link/bwascaib9b
https://pastebin.freepbx.org/view/e5a9f896
https://justpaste.it/2bykq
http://nopaste.ceske-hry.cz/1551120
https://notes.io/wWBLL
https://paste.centos.org/view/b91e07c9
https://paste.feed-the-beast.com/RnzX9vdQcVb
https://paste.intergen.online/view/b31b1c9d
https://ivpaste.com/v/Kd9zW5WY3P
https://paste.firnsy.com/paste/wAoq8UDH3ia
https://paste.enginehub.org/WZVhSP6x0
https://binshare.net/MKBm5hqr0Qa8GjhMROdT
https://tempel.in/view/BsOGX4u
https://paste.imirhil.fr/?0c2a4d1c386a82b6#jBnu8+cIiWSd1EBak/PflSL1RPS6UGdQM+A2FGRF4BY=
https://sebsauvage.net/paste/?0f7c720d03139f8c#tQpcWg1Zl8cSIvOA4Pyjg2hvKqYdvbQcDkPPZ5k47AA=
https://band.link/theconjuringsubtw
https://band.link/theconjuringzhfull
https://band.link/theconjuring4kuhd
https://band.link/kasukabedancers1080p
https://band.link/kasukabedancerszhmov
https://band.link/gataozhmov
https://band.link/gatao4kuhd
https://band.link/gataosubzh
https://band.link/marchingboyssubzh
https://band.link/marchingboys4k
https://band.link/caughtstealing4k
https://band.link/caughtstealingfreezh
https://band.link/caughtstealingtw
https://band.link/prettycrazytw
https://band.link/prettycrazy4kuhd
https://band.link/korkuseansi4
https://band.link/korkuseansi4izle
https://band.link/sonsuzlukkalesiizle
https://band.link/sonsuzlukkalesifree
https://band.link/kodigoybogasitur
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/e/vietnam-others-xem-phim-ma-full-lu-vietsub-motchill/ecec081f314790a586082611bc316747
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/e/washington-united-states-others-ma-full-lu-vitsub-thuyt-minh-phimmoi-2025/5880c939d170f56729792f357fd10299
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/e/vietnam-others-lm-giu-vi-ma-cuc-chin-ht-xon-full-lu-vitsub-thuyt-minh-phimmoi/de0996b8c4008a717f02146c50e4e1b3
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/e/vietnam-others-bng-ng-qui-kit-2-full-lu-vitsub-thuyt-minh-phimmoi-motchill/3b2c08c44bf0997622395cfc6eb92ad9
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/e/taiwan-others-the-conjuring-last-rites-20251080p/a75c1ea294cf78a577dc27d983b0a0c9
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/e/spain-others-verexpediente-warren-el-ltimo-rito-pelicula-completa-online-en-espaol/acf36f4775dd146d226222d970172ae7
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/e/spain-others-verguardianes-de-la-noche-2025-pelicula-completa-online-en-espaol/ad37f5e437593dae94f29427300b0b78
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/e/spain-others-ver-weapons-2025-en-espaol-y-latino-cuevana-3/76550b8baf8adb0c301a4abb76a8151f
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/e/spain-performing-visual-arts-ver-bala-perdida-2025-en-espaol-y-latino-cuevana-3/39fa6e26c12945622215ce97c4ecf008
https://balaperdidapelculacomplet.taplink.id
https://notepad.pw/code/hIv2h0Cr8aZtRcLoAz35
https://www.wowace.com/paste/f4cc2d54
https://profile.hatena.ne.jp/safaxsezer9/profile
https://band.link/theconjuringg
https://band.link/Witchboard
https://band.link/sijin2
https://band.link/filimf1subthai
https://band.link/kpopdemon
https://band.link/Homethai
https://band.link/theconjuring2
https://band.link/demonslayerr
https://band.link/Afterburn
https://band.link/Interstellarr
https://band.link/LightoftheWorldd
https://band.link/demonslayerr2025
https://band.link/spidermann
https://band.link/Aworkingman
https://band.link/elio
https://band.link/Caughtstealingthai
https://band.link/noboody2
https://band.link/kpopdemonhunterchz
https://band.link/terminator
https://tensor.art/articles/906766934752682770
https://tensor.art/articles/906767437263858661
https://tensor.art/articles/906767942996258121
https://tensor.art/articles/906769068277693925
https://tensor.art/articles/906769643803248237
https://tensor.art/articles/906769957335862121
https://tensor.art/articles/906800565420296977
https://tensor.art/articles/906800969147223781
https://tensor.art/articles/906801421192555727
https://tensor.art/articles/906802412256238985
https://tensor.art/articles/906802780549684902
https://tensor.art/articles/906803201456483232
https://tensor.art/articles/906752301799105194
https://tensor.art/articles/906752796794032919
https://tensor.art/articles/906753114621614327
https://tensor.art/articles/906754088505450871
https://tensor.art/articles/906754387005701716
https://tensor.art/articles/906754735971767747
https://tensor.art/articles/906746708677923235
https://tensor.art/articles/906747259507454956
https://tensor.art/articles/906747817853205913
https://tensor.art/articles/906748714427658220
https://tensor.art/articles/906749170767915828
https://tensor.art/articles/906749497185433305
https://tooter.in/harrykur/posts/115173281718640727
https://tooter.in/harrykur/posts/115173290877914547
https://www.datascienceportfol.io/harrykurnia449/projects/83
https://www.datascienceportfol.io/harrykurnia449/projects/82
https://wokwi.com/projects/441603865410235393
https://community.wongcw.com/posts/1149430
https://medium.com/yurigheboy25/tensor-art011-1be129699baf https://conjuring3vietsub.wordpress.com/2025/09/09/tensor-art011/ https://scrapbox.io/879uj089kljhghbnb/tensor.art%2Farticles%2F906766934752682770 https://notes.io/wWXxv https://www.pastery.net/nmfzur/ https://rentry.co/i3p2b3ne https://telegra.ph/tensorart011-09-09 https://hackmd.io/Moveflixsite/BkUOrjTcxl
https://yamcode.com/tensorart011
https://paste.thezomg.com/368399/42303317/
https://paste.enginehub.org/0M6sK5o20
https://pastelink.net/pnvs2fl8
https://www.etextpad.com/patccfl7ve
https://paste.centos.org/view/a2cc0dc8
https://paiza.io/projects/wLMqu8wU0tys7NTiMPdKmA
https://glot.io/snippets/hayd925bm1
https://privatebin.net/?0d22d39f860fc334#WUgvBD4G5hZqcoNGVDwa2VVTrRgFXDCRg1bLwgnjhTZ
https://jsitor.com/TH_bqNlymmY
https://tech.io/snippet/FsVIJmy
https://band.link/verapesardetiesquire
https://band.link/vertomlerryesquire
https://band.link/verblackphone2es
https://band.link/vertogetheresquire
https://band.link/verungranviaje
https://band.link/verlalargamarchaes
https://band.link/verelmejoresquire
https://band.link/vercazadoresdelfin
https://band.link/guardianesdelanoches
https://band.link/vereddingtonesquire
https://band.link/verdowntonabbeyes
https://band.link/vermiamigaevaesquire
https://band.link/unabatallatrasotra
https://band.link/vertrangers2esquire
https://band.link/smashingmachinees
https://band.link/verhoneydontes
https://band.link/verbalaperdidaes
https://band.link/vertronaresesquire
https://band.link/lahermanastrafea
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/e/online-others-2025-bg-audio/2f71ab22a59c902c77cac696f0775b01
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/e/online-others-2025-bg-audio/8050e85c858a56d308a16aa84c43aa90
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/e/online-others-2025-bg-audio/1b1a10fd39483936fad1408f0e09a00f
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/e/online-others-2025/c45bb9ca78d54f1f2860be5bc40c2b30
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/e/online-performing-visual-arts-2-2025-bg-audio/d757bd0405a72f4ddc1045c076c0f419
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/e/online-others-2025-bg-audio/6c06b08639bcf7f4e35c45a39f942b95
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/e/online-performing-visual-arts-spinal-tap-ii-the-end-continues-2025-bg-audio/35de1a9d90c63f26dc741fc077571e32
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/e/online-performing-visual-arts-downton-abbey-the-grand-finale-2025-bg-audio/382efbcc5a964cb27f6f1d58d2894dec
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/e/online-others-2025-bg-audio/85203b36eb382a4bcb909ca3f85b3207
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/e/online-others-2025-bg-audio/98990c10efd33bda0c2c6aaafd0c8c82
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/e/online-others-a-big-bold-beautiful-journey-2025-bg-audio/42e0516c22f929f113b42d19326ba16a
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/e/online-others-2025-bg-audio/64f4068464b129a98faa5b16cbdfd2aa
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/e/online-others-good-boy-2025-bg-audio/d4a5d4d7a8217ba8b12b5043d003e467
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/e/online-performing-visual-arts-2025-bg-audio/837e56d62162743bd968f8db0a655a05
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/e/online-others-tron-2025-bg-audio/2075f8ffcf36e8d6ade61d38a97e62a3
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/e/online-others-black-phone-2-2025-bg-audio/21f8c8afb66b6c568bd750cb53e4ac4e
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/e/online-performing-visual-arts-2025-bg-audio/e216440acfe5e5e752be38f25dd72eef
https://www.TwosApp.com/68bfe62773e1434f5bae6644
https://gns3.com/community/discussions/yurtyfb
https://scrapbox.io/xcsteycu/uyorttdf
https://freepaste.link/tzixlbvvwu
https://notes.io/wWCP5
https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/134898280
https://wokwi.com/projects/441606308862816257
https://hackmd.io/@cFjc3DeGSNCGc2UAoJjRnQ/Byq4PDaqll
https://glot.io/snippets/hay5umh42b
https://www.surveyking.com/survey/wys5r
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-OZhb47faTGUK8tlQSY8/-OZhdrv1GhTE7PdENQfS/source
https://paste.rs/7QGti.txt
https://www.deviantart.com/papyvoir/journal/uiowervb-1239638911
https://paste.centos.org/view/b5effcc1
https://paiza.io/projects/3tIJPRy2MqPcVGp-LZbsoA?language=php
https://etextpad.com/public/225ymhzkrj
https://p.ip.fi/A1fu
https://onlinegdb.com/aXynOtI-Ze
https://pastee.dev/p/p8Hq96Kt
https://telegra.ph/dfertgdv-09-09
https://pastelink.net/lrp2s6ce
https://paste.feed-the-beast.com/FR+OYgEhXef
https://jsbin.com/lakuxorozu/edit?html
https://pastebin.com/HzajdUEq
https://rextester.com/FBC97365
https://matters.town/a/ahp50cwk7zei
https://culsleept.hashnode.dev/fghrtyhergb