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.
https://www.facebook.com/VigorRiseSupport/
https://www.facebook.com/VigorRiseMaleEnhancementReviews/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/vigorrisemale/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/vigorrisemaleenhancement.usa/
https://www.facebook.com/events/36908431578802822/
https://www.facebook.com/events/895251219634387
https://www.facebook.com/groups/vigorrisewheretobuy/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/getvigorrisemaleenhancement/
https://www.facebook.com/events/2791127591274020/
https://www.facebook.com/events/27326682553692634/
https://groups.google.com/g/vigorrise-male-enhancement-price/c/eqjCgRTPOUs
https://groups.google.com/g/vigorrise-health-wellness-hub/c/i_OoBIxOxCA
https://sites.google.com/view/buy-vigorrise-male-enhancement/
https://sites.google.com/view/vigorrise/
https://vigorrisemale.blogspot.com/2026/07/vigorrise-male-enhancement-reviews.html
https://vigorrisemale.blogspot.com/2026/07/vigorrise-reviews.html
https://www.readawrite.com/a/0a460a75aed788b85ca5c8ec49f73fa5
https://www.readawrite.com/a/188425d822b0d4ac4e57214e19115258
https://www.readawrite.com/a/3ca62e4ea0fbde1147486003e26b21ea
https://www.readawrite.com/a/39463b7b8683365959c0e4a3c3d8ef6b
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmr67lx2y08oz01v52ajfdf1a
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmr67q5tk0hg701uq454reu7k
https://colab.research.google.com/drive/12boSFTfF_XdauK3g7oWtZzF4a8IJIFYm
https://comunidad.espoesia.com/wilderleaforganichempaustralia/vigorrise-male-enhancement-review-truth-must-read-before-buying/
https://www.readawrite.com/a/660d28ade8ef7311a629eb43a967e13b
https://vgen.co/VigorRiseMaleEnhancementPrice/
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmr68e0ea0ic101uq4tgk9zht
https://wanderlog.com/plan/tfufdhfmrjvqwckd/vigorrise-male-enhancement-review-2026-features-usage-product-information/
https://comunidad.espoesia.com/wilderleaforganichempaustralia/vigorrise-male-enhancement-reviews-what-customer-need-to-know-before-buying/
https://colab.research.google.com/drive/160tP86fC9FxjHYuUfNMYCHxIAe9NlJeG
https://www.facebook.com/WilderLeafOrganicHemp.NZ.Reviews/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/wilderleaforganicgummies.nz/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/getwilderleaforganichempnewzealand/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/wilderleaforganicnewzealand/
https://www.facebook.com/events/2905852873109591/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1172193452646830/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1508726031271162/
https://www.facebook.com/Get.Wilder.Leaf.Organic.Hemp.Canada/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/wilderleaforganichempgummiescanada/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/wilderleaforganichempcanadasale/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/get.wilderleaforganichempcanada/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1574409124475659/
https://www.facebook.com/events/3769828589845696
https://wwhttps://www.facebook.com/WilderLeafOrganicHempAustralia.AUS/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/wilderleaforganichemp.aus/
https://www.facebook.com/events/2037476603517013/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/768696439639132
https://www.facebook.com/events/1816136759366180/
https://www.readawrite.com/a/3fbd57904795589bc8f7aacad09b247d
https://www.readawrite.com/a/123b38d5b471da001920d38641f3c803
https://www.readawrite.com/a/a0bb28bc90e49d591dab1b27b60c2aae
https://www.readawrite.com/a/510f77ef848a03b84c9bcd3b25c3341c
https://www.readawrite.com/a/f7e141b876920552f4424477a929a53f
https://www.readawrite.com/a/11b016b8626de8fdfbfd6f1f54c16c35
https://www.readawrite.com/a/fea3a5d3d2bfe0dc97431ce568786877
https://www.readawrite.com/a/c7c6989d02fc940359d7f174ff2a9a1e
https://www.readawrite.com/a/4e41ae28b2c928585cf548b22b04cb41
https://www.readawrite.com/a/6101d26231baf1dd6c7e3d45d7903f09
https://www.readawrite.com/a/1f9637802fda89d84961e308d7ecdc69
https://www.readawrite.com/a/508352b96e9aab7d07b745d8598dd399
https://www.readawrite.com/a/275a658e6beaa952a2bcdff9e7188617
Horsewood Reality Check 2026 – The Truth Behind the Claims
Rank : https://finance.yahoo.com/sectors/healthcare/articles/horsewood-urgent-report-2026-horse-191100383.html
https://linktr.ee/Horsewood
https://vgen.co/HorsewoodSupplement
https://www.facebook.com/HorsewoodTry/
https://sites.google.com/view/horsewoodtry/
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmr37sdpf0hay01t2axb1c4qu
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmr37wyva04g401v94vo42gfn
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmr1l36j0014s01vm289zapza
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmr1l7ka703ne01ur8upoej7t
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmr1mkqjk03mu01tjepk7fdos
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmr1mqcmz03sl01t24c6dg1sq
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmr09isbs000901y14fej4h3p
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmr09kbst001o01x33tqn3mv9
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmr079jf500xr01rt1rnd9si6
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmr07bno300u601rpbe57a2la
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmr4h58a903we01tchpzn5lav
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmr4h90li00bl01uqdgih1hqa
https://pocketcasts.com/podcast/healthfacts/7bc2d2d0-5843-013f-1f83-0e98e27f20d9/instacool-pro-review-2026-worth-buying-or-waste-of-money-honest-truth-revealed/7c0559ca-6be3-45c8-9fd4-6d1a9f653684
https://pocketcasts.com/podcast/healthfacts/7bc2d2d0-5843-013f-1f83-0e98e27f20d9/instacool-pro-reviews-2026-we-tried-it-my-honest-review/bfbb001b-7956-40db-887c-9969064a23bf
https://pocketcasts.com/podcast/healthfacts/7bc2d2d0-5843-013f-1f83-0e98e27f20d9/cool-cove-ac-the-cooling-device-everyone-is-talking-about/e4c99634-1491-4acf-9db1-acda9fdcbecc
https://pocketcasts.com/podcast/healthfacts/7bc2d2d0-5843-013f-1f83-0e98e27f20d9/cool-cove-ac-reviews-2026-we-tried-it-my-honest-review/9b4795f5-8190-43e6-9bc2-2e5a995c70cb
https://www.facebook.com/ManCodeGummiesAustralia.AU
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mancodegummiesaustralia.au/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mancodegummiesaustraliareviews
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mancodemaleenhancementgummiesaustralia/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mancodemaleenhancementgummiesaustraliareviews/
https://www.facebook.com/events/2030956134144628/
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmkwjyfip00vn01wu4sqo7eu1
https://sites.google.com/view/mancode-gummies-au
https://scribehow.com/viewer/ManCode_Gummies_Australia_Can_It_Really_Improve_Your_Confidence_and_Stamina__3OH1aixGT5yzCBE6hLqUAw
https://scribehow.com/viewer/ManCode_Gummies_Australia_Reviews_and_Complaints__T6XPqgB5RMGoZZWeuS4F-Q
https://scribehow.com/viewer/ManCode_Male_Enhancement_Gummies_Australia_After_Using_It_Daily_Heres_My_Honest_Review__LIPcMzaDRnWkAF1Eeai-hw
https://scribehow.com/viewer/ManCode_Male_Enhancement_Gummies_Australia_Real_User_Impressions_Price_Benefits_Ingredients_and_Buying_Details__VjdJBZbeQjq_0ADFtWEHXQ
https://www.facebook.com/ManCodeGummies.UK/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mancodegummiesunitedkingdom
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mancode.gummies.uk.for.men
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mancodemaleenhancementgummiesreview
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mancodemaleperformancegummiesuk
https://www.facebook.com/events/1441526900998135
https://open.firstory.me/story/cml0m7xi00khx01052dd2050u
https://www.facebook.com/MancodeGummiesOfficial/
https://www.facebook.com/ManCodeGummiesCanada.Ca
https://www.facebook.com/MancodeGummies.Get
https://www.facebook.com/Mancode.Male.Enhancement.Gummies.CA
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mancodegummiescanada.ca/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mancodegummiescanadareviews
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mancodegummiescanadaofficial/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mancodegummiescanadawebsite/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mancodemaleenhancementgummiescanada.ca/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mancodegummiescanadareviewscomplaints
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mancodemegummiescanada
https://www.facebook.com/events/1419327489830549
https://www.facebook.com/events/1285447960086390
https://www.facebook.com/ManCodeGummiesNewZealand.NZ/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mancodegummiesnewzealand.nz/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mancodegummiesnewzealandreviews/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mancodegummiesnewzealandofficial/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mancodegummiesnewzealandwebsite/
https://www.facebook.com/events/2709702559364801
https://www.facebook.com/Mancode.Gummies.Ireland/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mancodegummiesireland
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mancodegummiesirelandreviews
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mancodemaleenhancementgummiesireland
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mancodemaleenhancementgummiesirelandreviews
https://www.facebook.com/events/1225720909657047
https://sites.google.com/view/mancodegummiesireland
https://scribehow.com/viewer/ManCode_Gummies_Ireland_with_Real_Results_Updated_2026__pAoC-Sq3RReCqBzFC7Y1uA
https://scribehow.com/viewer/ManCode_Gummies_Ireland_Is_It_Really_Worth_My_90_Days_Results_And_Complaints__VxCwbVgqRHOw2O_orVfC9w
https://scribehow.com/viewer/ManCode_Gummies_Ireland_Real_User_Impressions_Price_Benefits_Ingredients_and_Buying_Details__eATyk23JTjCoiLWVyyfLgw
https://scribehow.com/viewer/ManCode_Gummies_Ireland_Reviews_Does_It_Live_Up_to_the_Hype_Read_My_Honest_Opinion_First__Z4TB9N7QS5-A6w33DR2HTQ
https://www.facebook.com/WilderLeafOrganicHemp.NZ.Reviews/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/wilderleaforganicgummies.nz/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/getwilderleaforganichempnewzealand/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/wilderleaforganicnewzealand/
https://www.facebook.com/events/2905852873109591/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1172193452646830/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1508726031271162/
https://www.facebook.com/Get.Wilder.Leaf.Organic.Hemp.Canada/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/wilderleaforganichempgummiescanada/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/wilderleaforganichempcanadasale/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/get.wilderleaforganichempcanada/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1574409124475659/
https://www.facebook.com/events/3769828589845696
https://wwhttps://www.facebook.com/WilderLeafOrganicHempAustralia.AUS/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/wilderleaforganichemp.aus/
https://www.facebook.com/events/2037476603517013/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/768696439639132
https://www.facebook.com/events/1816136759366180/
https://sites.google.com/view/wilderleafgummiesau/
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmr4ib0t500ha01uqckvr0epa
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmr4io84u00n101uq6sam6q5q
https://www.readawrite.com/a/8aee348b14b78313bdf034a0b34f6021
https://www.readawrite.com/a/d9da1ce1943408a1cf505cd6d2df03ab
https://www.readawrite.com/a/3fbd57904795589bc8f7aacad09b247d
https://www.readawrite.com/a/123b38d5b471da001920d38641f3c803
https://www.readawrite.com/a/a0bb28bc90e49d591dab1b27b60c2aae
https://www.readawrite.com/a/510f77ef848a03b84c9bcd3b25c3341c
https://www.readawrite.com/a/f7e141b876920552f4424477a929a53f
https://www.readawrite.com/a/11b016b8626de8fdfbfd6f1f54c16c35
https://www.readawrite.com/a/fea3a5d3d2bfe0dc97431ce568786877
https://www.readawrite.com/a/c7c6989d02fc940359d7f174ff2a9a1e
https://www.readawrite.com/a/4e41ae28b2c928585cf548b22b04cb41
https://www.readawrite.com/a/6101d26231baf1dd6c7e3d45d7903f09
https://www.readawrite.com/a/1f9637802fda89d84961e308d7ecdc69
https://www.readawrite.com/a/508352b96e9aab7d07b745d8598dd399
https://www.readawrite.com/a/275a658e6beaa952a2bcdff9e7188617
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmquqjl590zhb01yifo9afqnr
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmquqss550fea01wy14vsg263
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmqurqdmp0hfp01xe319u4wdw
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmqurvtgk0hj901xe0ba9h88d
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmquu8zro0a3x01yjaql6fwet
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmquuz4yo0gwl01wycm534hof
https://vgen.co/UroVitaCare
https://vgen.co/UroVitaCapsulesAustralia
https://vgen.co/UroVitaOfficial
https://vgen.co/UroVitaCareUS
https://vgen.co/HarderoMaleEnhancement
https://vgen.co/HarderoMale
https://www.readawrite.com/a/3fbd57904795589bc8f7aacad09b247d
https://www.readawrite.com/a/123b38d5b471da001920d38641f3c803
https://www.readawrite.com/a/a0bb28bc90e49d591dab1b27b60c2aae
https://www.readawrite.com/a/510f77ef848a03b84c9bcd3b25c3341c
https://www.readawrite.com/a/f7e141b876920552f4424477a929a53f
https://www.readawrite.com/a/11b016b8626de8fdfbfd6f1f54c16c35
https://www.readawrite.com/a/fea3a5d3d2bfe0dc97431ce568786877
https://www.readawrite.com/a/c7c6989d02fc940359d7f174ff2a9a1e
https://www.readawrite.com/a/4e41ae28b2c928585cf548b22b04cb41
https://www.readawrite.com/a/6101d26231baf1dd6c7e3d45d7903f09
https://www.readawrite.com/a/1f9637802fda89d84961e308d7ecdc69
https://www.readawrite.com/a/508352b96e9aab7d07b745d8598dd399
https://www.readawrite.com/a/275a658e6beaa952a2bcdff9e7188617
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmquqjl590zhb01yifo9afqnr
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmquqss550fea01wy14vsg263
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmqurqdmp0hfp01xe319u4wdw
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmqurvtgk0hj901xe0ba9h88d
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmquu8zro0a3x01yjaql6fwet
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmquuz4yo0gwl01wycm534hof
https://vgen.co/UroVitaCare
https://participation.u-bordeaux.fr/profiles/gold365login/activity
https://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/profile/1932957
https://forum.epicbrowser.com/profile.php?id=163326
https://hackaday.io/gold365site?saved=true
https://offcourse.co/users/profile/gold365site
https://replit.com/gold365site https://artvee.com/members/gold365site/profile/ https://www.notebook.ai/users/1376114 http://freestyler.ws/user/666775/gold365loginid https://www.invelos.com/UserProfile.aspx?Alias=gold365site https://rotorbuilds.com/profile/220804/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/user/gold365login https://seomotionz.com/member.php?action=profile&uid=139964 https://wakelet.com/gold365loginid
https://pixabay.com/users/gold365loginid-56293715/
https://www.mightycause.com/profile/Gold365loginid
https://www.tasteatlas.com/profile/gold365-login
https://appsumo.com/profile/gold365login/
https://luma.com/user/gold365login
https://www.indiegogo.com/en/profile/gold365loginid#/overview
https://account.windy.com/personal-info
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/201849719-gold365login
https://www.cake.me/me/gold365site
https://aprenderfotografia.online/usuarios/gold365id/profile/
https://albemarle.granicusideas.com/profile/6a2e49927d79658a2d0032b1/info
https://news.bangboxonline.com/profile/gold365login
https://vrcmods.com/user/gold365site
https://www.exibart.com/community/gold365login/profile/
https://fun4friends.com/profile-3896388
http://dtan.thaiembassy.de/wp-admin/profile.php
https://pinshape.com/users/8989763-gold365site
https://pin.it/2DWUzdQZb
https://app.samsungfood.com/u/gold365site
https://500px.com/p/gold365loginid?view=photos
https://profile.hatena.ne.jp/gold365loginid/profile
https://ukrainaincognita.com/users/gold365login
https://employbahamians.com/author/gold365id/
https://praca.uxlabs.pl/author/gold365site/
https://kuula.co/profile/gold365id
https://community.claris.com/en/s/profile/005Vy00000UbiQb
https://opencollective.com/gold365login
https://connect.gt/user/gold365login
https://justnock.com/Gold365login
https://luvly.co/users/gold365login
https://app.riipen.com/users/8OD1Y6Nz
https://codesandbox.io/u/gold365login
https://techplanet.today/member/gold365login
https://rumble.com/user/gold365site/about
https://www.imo.net/members/imo_user/profile/?user_id=24363
https://re-volta.pl/profil/154414/
https://community.progress.com/s/profile/005Pb000017ro2A
https://fmcreators.com/index.php?members/gold365id.54126/#about
https://hoomet.com/profile/gold365login?tab=541
https://slo-tech.com/profili/146618/?mesto=0
https://gifyu.com/gold365loginid
https://latinverge.com/profile/43530?tab=541
https://www.mystream4u.com/gold365login?page=about https://cars.yclas.com/user/gold365site https://mail.altcourt.org/profile/78107 https://www.scoop.it/u/gold365id/followed-scoops https://eternagame.org/players/626867 https://ko-fi.com/gold365site17807 https://naijamatta.com/Gold365login https://medium.com/gold365site/about
https://www.band.us/band/103155549/post
https://forum.rexygen.com/user/gold365login
https://www.symbaloo.com/profile/gold365login
https://social.y-gallery.net/@gold365login
https://www.poetry.com/user/469107/gold365id
https://www.bestuslawyers.org/author/gold365login/