Abraham Lincoln And Barack Obama Comparisons

The more one studies Abraham Lincoln and witnesses the Presidency of Barack Obama, the more one can see comparisons.

Both of these Presidents faced more hate than any other Presidents, and both faced more assassination threats than any other Presidents.

Both of these Presidents faced the greatest crises in American History, along with Franklin D. Roosevelt, and dealt with them effectively, although not appreciated at the time of the events.

Both of these Presidents used their executive authority to effect change, and in so doing, divided their own nation, but did what they felt they must do.

Both of these Presidents came from comparatively little background in national government, with Lincoln having just two years in the House of Representatives, and Obama having four years in the Senate.

Both of these Presidents picked their chief rival for the nomination, New York Senators William Seward and Hillary Clinton, to be their Secretaries of State, with both cabinet members being significant in their roles on foreign policy.

Both of these Presidents came from Illinois, the only two Presidents elected from that state, although Ronald Reagan was born in Illinois, but elected from California.

Both of these Presidents were anti war, Lincoln in the Mexican War, and Obama in the Iraq War, and yet both waged war in office.

Both of these Presidents stretched civil liberties in reaction to threats to the nation–Lincoln with the Civil War and Obama with the war on terrorism.

Both of these Presidents had the gift of oratory, and the making of memorable statements.

Both of these Presidents had an excellent sense of humor, and could make fun of themselves.

Both of these Presidents showed compassion and empathy, crucial character strengths for any President.

Both of these Presidents demonstrated great courage in the face of challenges internally and externally, and could make decisions and live with them.

Both of these Presidents made mistakes, admitted to them, and moved on to other challenges without regrets.

Both of these Presidents were ridiculed, lampooned, denounced, abused in oratory, and yet kept their dignity and class as human beings, never giving in to petty responses.

Both of these Presidents were attacked by Southerners, and both worked against the racism and narrow mindedness so prevalent in the 19th century South, and, sadly, in the 21st century South.

Both of these Presidents were very devoted to their children, and found adequate time to be good dads while serving in the most stressful job any American can have, the honor of being our President.

Barack Obama still has three years to go, and as time goes on, he will rank higher in history than he is seen as now by critics, just as Lincoln suffered while in office, but now has been regarded by serious historians as the greatest American President!

36 comments on “Abraham Lincoln And Barack Obama Comparisons

  1. Engineer Of Knowledge February 18, 2014 7:35 am

    Hello Professor,
    I am serious….because President Obama lead this country out of this latest Republican Depression brought on by the financial abuses after the 2004 removal of economic rules & regulations that were put into place by FDR; plus the fact of being the first black President…we will be carrying currency with President Obama’s image in it.

  2. Ronald February 18, 2014 8:36 am

    Engineer, I hope that what you project for the future turns out to be true. It will take time, but Obama will be looked upon long term as much greater than Ronald Reagan, the most inflated President in history due to right wing extremist views holding sway! One new poll by the right wing rates Reagan the greatest since 1900, totally preposterous, and Obama as the worst? Anybody forget Harding and Hoover and Bush II?

  3. Ronald February 18, 2014 9:06 am

    George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan should be sued too! LOL

  4. Jane Doe February 18, 2014 2:00 pm

    Maybe the Pres needs to sue Congress for not doing their jobs! LOL

  5. Ronald February 18, 2014 3:08 pm

    Great idea, Jane Doe! 🙂 LOL

  6. JOB February 18, 2014 6:38 pm

    “but now has been regarded by serious historians as the greatest American President’

    Which one are you referring to Ron, Lincoln or Obama?

  7. Ronald February 18, 2014 6:41 pm

    JOB, obviously Abraham Lincoln, who has been number one in just about any poll for nearly a century. Someone who is still in office cannot be rated number one, and no one in his or her right mind would ever put Obama that high, and maybe nowhere near that high at any point, but would settle for the top ten!

  8. Mark February 18, 2014 6:59 pm

    Obama will be a foot note in history (except to people obsessed about race. To a color blind person, it doesn’t matter that he is half-black). His main “accomplishment” would be passing Obamacare, and he will be remembered as giving future Presidents the precedent to undue his own law. That precedent being just choosing to not enforce parts of the law. A future President opposed to Obamacare will just choose to not enforce Obamacare, and that will be the end of it.

  9. Ronald February 18, 2014 7:21 pm

    You are totally off the wall, Mark, as ObamaCare is working, will work, and will become part of the American mainstream, as much as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicare Part D. It is so sad how clueless you really are, living in your own fantasies, along with Dave!

  10. JOB February 18, 2014 9:20 pm

    “but would settle for the top ten!”
    Well Professor, I can’t argue against your statement, But that’s only because I don’t know enough history about the past Presidents. I do know that this POTUS has probably dealt with the most prejudice by far. And he has dealt with what I think will go down as the absolute worst Congress in U.S. history. However, I can’t help but think that as of now, there is so much more he could have done. Of course he does have three more years to improve his record so we shall see. I would still put him ahead of Clinton. I saw that in your last post you ranked him with Washington, Lincoln, and both Roosevelts. My opinion is that he did so much to destroy the middle and working class, that I would never put him in the same league as the others on your list. And that includes Obama.

    ” he will be remembered as giving future Presidents the precedent to undue his own law. ”
    I may be wrong Mark, but didn’t Bush add some things to the Patriot Act after it was signed into law?

  11. Ronald February 18, 2014 9:29 pm

    JOB, thanks for smacking Mark down! LOL You are correct!

    I listed Clinton as one who remains high on scholarly lists, although not in the top ten, so was not comparing at all to Washington, Lincoln, and the two Roosevelts.

    I actually agree with you that Obama should be listed above Clinton over time, and might make the top ten, which Clinton will not make. And I agree that Obama has had the worst Congress since Andrew Johnson’ s time after the Civil War, and could have accomplished more if they had been cooperative. So we agree more than you thought! 🙂

  12. Ronald February 18, 2014 9:37 pm

    JOB, and others who read this blog, if you type in Presidents in History, or Presidential Rankings, you will find a ton of information on the history of the Presidency, including rankings and analysis, mine and others, since I started this blog in 2008. There is a literal wealth of information that will keep you busy reading for a long time, and hopefully, fascinate you!

  13. Ronald February 18, 2014 9:44 pm

    Also, JOB and others, type in Vice Presidents for a wealth of information over the past five and a half years!

  14. JOB February 18, 2014 10:11 pm

    I just googled Vice President. HOLY S##T. Now I know what to do with my free time.

  15. Ronald February 18, 2014 10:23 pm

    HAHA, I told you! LOL And if you click on ANY of the Hot Topics on the bottom right, you will never sleep! HAHAHA LOL And really, type in anything about politics and history, and you will find a wealth of information! 🙂

  16. Engineer Of Knowledge February 18, 2014 10:50 pm

    “A future President opposed to Obamacare will just choose to not enforce Obamacare, and that will be the end of it.”
    Wow Mark….what a short memory you have. We just had a National Election where the Republican Presidential Candidate opponent ran on the political platform of repealing the Affordable Care Act…..and he lost EVERY battle ground state except North Carolina I think. The election was over by 8:00 or 9:00 o’clock. After all, it has with stood a Supreme Court ruling and it is the LAW OF THE LAND.
    Do you think a Presidential Candidate running on the same platform is going to win the next one?
    You just yanking our chain again aren’t you? No I think you’re that dumb.
    Hey Professor and J.O.B……”Joe the Plumber” now has a Union Job with Chrysler here in Ohio. Yeah Unions are not so bad anymore in his eyes. He now has health benefits, retirement, sick days, and paid holidays probably for the first time in his working life.

  17. Ronald February 18, 2014 11:11 pm

    Engineer, thanks for giving it to ignorant Mark, who lives in a dream world where millions have no health care, but he probably believes in LIFE for every fetus, I bet! Once born, however, to hell with people who are poor, as it is their own fault!

    Joe the Plumber has indeed discovered unions and their benefits, and too bad that Tennessee workers at Volkswagen made a horrible mistake and believe the bull of Tennessee Republicans!

  18. Mark February 19, 2014 8:20 am

    “After all, it has with stood a Supreme Court ruling and it is the LAW OF THE LAND.”

    Parts of it is the same as if it wasn’t the law of the land, because Obama chose not to enforce them.

  19. Mark February 19, 2014 8:23 am

    All these people talking about something being “LAW OF THE LAND” as if that alone makes it good. The fugitive slave act was the LAW OF THE LAND, and that doesn’t mean it was a good or just law.

  20. Ronald February 19, 2014 8:43 am

    MARK, you are comparing ObamaCare, which gives millions health care to the Fugitive Slave Law? If so, you are totally nuts!

  21. Mark February 19, 2014 7:02 pm

    I’m saying that something being THE LAW isn’t enough to be good.

  22. Mark February 19, 2014 7:05 pm

    I wasn’t comparing ObamaCare to the Fugitive Slave Act, as any thinking person would immediately realize. Just mentioned the latter to show a clear example that relying

  23. Mark February 19, 2014 7:05 pm

    on the argument that something IS THE LAW isn’t enough justification to say that particular law is good.

  24. Ronald February 19, 2014 7:15 pm

    Mark, you are correct in saying that a particular law is not automatically “good”, but realize “good” is in the eyes of the beholder!

  25. JOB February 19, 2014 8:12 pm

    “Hey Professor and J.O.B……”Joe the Plumber” now has a Union Job with Chrysler here in Ohio. Yeah Unions are not so bad anymore in his eyes. He now has health benefits, retirement, sick days, and paid holidays probably for the first time in his working life.”
    I was actually informed of this by a Conservative EOK. We were debating Unions on a Conservative website. The person actually claimed that may be “JOE” was a mole and that it showed how Unions are only out to make a buck. Why else would a Union swear in a new member who once ran for Congress as a Tea Party Conservative? After I pointed out that the UAW had to “Legally” accept his application and swear him in, I was accused of being “A typical brainwashed leftist slug”.
    God Damn NLRB! Whenever I’m debating someone regarding the importance of Unions they always stick it to me with their stupid laws…………….. 🙂

  26. JOB February 19, 2014 8:19 pm

    “Joe the Plumber has indeed discovered unions and their benefits, and too bad that Tennessee workers at Volkswagen made a horrible mistake and believe the bull of Tennessee Republicans!”

    Professor, The VW workers in Tennessee did make a mistake. Their “NAY” vote was driven by a right wing onslaught. What happened in Tennessee is deplorable and appalling. I am actually working on a post in regards to the matter. It will be published on the website where I first met Engineer. I can post the link in the most recent comment section when it’s finally done. If you’d like.

  27. Ronald February 19, 2014 9:04 pm

    Absolutely, JOB! Feel free to do so! 🙂

  28. Ronald February 19, 2014 9:06 pm

    JOB, not sure what EOK refers to, so please explain! LOL 🙂

  29. JOB February 19, 2014 10:45 pm

    EOK is short for Engineer Of Knowledge.

  30. Ronald February 19, 2014 11:07 pm

    Oh , haha! 🙂 LOL So, JOB, are you enjoying exploring my website blog entries? 🙂

  31. JOB February 20, 2014 9:15 pm

    “Oh , haha! 🙂 LOL So, JOB, are you enjoying exploring my website blog entries? :)”

    Why yes Ronald I am. You put quite a few laughs and smiley faces in this comment, but I’m willing to bet that you’re looking for a little feedback. If that’s the case, let me provide.
    As I’ve stated before, EOK turned me onto your blog sometime ago. And even though I have read, I have only recently commented. For that I apologize. Your loss…… 😉

    Truth is, as I’ve gotten older, I am moving in different political directions. I started blogging (http://job60445.blogspot.com/) in 2011. At that time, I found myself surrounded and encompassed by Tea Party Conservatives. Not that I have their same political beliefs, but we shared a common goal. That goal was the election of a new POTUS. I do not like Obama and they didn’t either. But my disdain comes from intimate knowledge of him since I live in Chicago. Their disdain comes from completely different reasons. And since Obama’s reelection, me and my Conservative bloggers have reached a disconnect. In my opinion, what’s done is done. Let;s respect his office. Let’s hope that he does right by us Americans. But Conservative blogs just want to hype the same ‘ol bulls##t. I recently told you that I was purging my blogroll. That purging involves deleting all (but two) Conservative blogs. The reason is manners. The final straw was when I was called an asshole by someone who I thought was a blog buddy. My crime? Simple. He endorses Ted Cruz. All I did was point out the similarities between Cruz and Obama’s birth. You know, Born in a foreign country, to an American Mother. Yes he is a birther, but supposedly Cruz is okay.

    In the end, I guess I just had a pact mentality. I was labelled a Conservative because I frequented a lot of Conservative blogs. But the truth is that the only thing we had in common was a dislike for our POTUS. And even our dislikes differed.

    So, I have been moving in a new direction. But good luck labelling me a progressive, because I don’t even know what I am. I have ideas that are progressive. I have ideas that are Conservative. I have ideas that are socialistic, if not down right communism. Label me as you will.

    But know one thing. It seems EOK was right. You seem like a great dude. What draws me to your blog the most is your demeanor. None of us are gonna fully agree on politics. Obviously that’s our goal, but we’re foolish if we think it will ever happen. We (Americans) are always going to disagree. But what separates us from other species is our understanding, and civility. It is your civility that attracts me to your blog, and it’s civility that drove me from other blogs.

    Anyway, I think you do a great job and keep up the good work.

  32. Ronald February 20, 2014 9:26 pm

    JOB, you have no idea how much I appreciate your kind words, and I hope I educate you on politics, so that you are less cynical in the future. I try my best to be civil, but sometimes it is difficult with the comments of some people on here, but I am thankful for those on the blog who support my way of looking at things! 🙂

  33. JOB February 20, 2014 9:40 pm

    ” but I am thankful for those on the blog who support my way of looking at things! :)”

    Ron, here is our first disagreement. LOLOLOL.
    I don’t necessarily support the way that you look at things. But I am impressed and greatly support how you handle adversarial ideas and opinions.

    BTW: “And really, type in anything about politics and history, and you will find a wealth of information!”
    What kind of uneducated moron do you think I am? I know how to use a computer along with search engines!

    LOLOL, I’m just busting your balls. But truth be told. I prefer learning through dialogue. It’s more interesting to me. 🙂

  34. Ronald February 20, 2014 9:46 pm

    You are very funny, JOB! 🙂 All I am saying is who does not prefer people who agree with him? LOL HAHAHAHA!

  35. JOB February 20, 2014 10:37 pm

    “You are very funny, JOB! 🙂 All I am saying is who does not prefer people who agree with him?”

    You are most likely Professor. But I do like people that disagree. You don’t have to do any work when there’s a pat on the back.

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