Obama, Another Lincoln?

National Review Online: The Media Is Too Quick To Compare The President-Elect To Lincoln Or FDR

(National Review Online)  This column was written by Jonah Goldberg.

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In an attempt to dial down expectations for his administration, President-elect Barack Obama’s supporters have dropped much of the “messiah” talk.

No more talk of him being The One (Oprah), or a Jedi Knight (George Lucas), or a “Lightworker” (the San Francisco Chronicle), or a “quantum leap in American consciousness” (Deepak Chopra). Instead we have more humble and circumspect conversation about the man. Now he’s merely Abraham Lincoln and FDR and Martin Luther King, combined.

It’s a step down from divine redeemer, but you have to start somewhere.

Newsweek, Time, the Washington Post, 60 Minutes and, of course, The O Network (formerly known as MSNBC) have all run wild with this stuff. Depicting Obama as FDR or Lincoln has become a staple of the self-proclaimed “objective” media.

I was on Fox News the other night to throw some cold water on this Obama-as-Lincoln stuff. Alan Colmes of Hannity & Colmes chastised me, asking if we shouldn’t give Obama “a chance to actually spread his wings and fly a little bit” before disparaging him.

Fine. I actually agree with that. Conservatives should not denounce Obama’s performance before he’s had a chance to, you know, perform.

But, shouldn’t we also hold off on comparing the guy to FDR and Lincoln before he’s done anything?

Obama hasn’t even taken the oath of office yet, and it’s already an unfair right-wing attack to say that Obama isn’t on par with Lincoln and FDR. What’s next? Will it be slander to say Obama’s a carbon-based life form? Will the Secret Service investigate you if you’re overheard saying you think Obama’s merely “OK”?

While such sycophancy from the national press is lamentable, at this point it’s hardly news.

What I find fascinating, however, is not so much the Obama hagiography, but the burning desire for another FDR or Lincoln that underlies it.

According to the various Obama-as-Lincoln narratives, including those from the president-elect himself, Obama is a new Lincoln because he is a “uniter.” In several of his most famous speeches, Obama insinuates that he wants to bring the country together the way Honest Abe did. Newsweek and others tout his fondness for Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book Team of Rivals, in which Goodwin argues that Lincoln displayed his political genius by inviting adversaries into his Cabinet.

There are real problems with this model; it didn’t work too well for Lincoln. Moreover, who looks at how Lincoln staffed his Cabinet as the defining feature of his presidency? Saying Obama is the next Lincoln because the two men share staffing styles is like saying George Bush is Thomas Jefferson because they both liked chicken soup. If I wear a pointy hat, can I call myself John Paul II?

Lincoln was Lincoln because he fought and won the Civil War and freed the slaves. News flash: That ain’t what America is like today - and thank God for it.

I think Lincoln was just about the greatest president in American history, but I sure don’t want to need another Lincoln. Six hundred thousand Americans died at the hands of other Americans during Lincoln’s presidency. Lincoln unified the country at gunpoint and curtailed civil liberties in a way that makes President Bush look like an ACLU zealot. The partisan success of the GOP in the aftermath of the war Obama thinks so highly of was forged in blood.

Likewise with FDR. Listening to liberals gush over a “new New Deal” and Obama’s call for us to emulate the “Greatest Generation,” you’d think they want another Great Depression and World War.

Indeed, liberals have long idolized the 1930s as a decade of great unity. It wasn’t. The 1930s was a miserable decade of poverty, domestic unrest, labor strife, violations of civil liberties and widespread fear. If liberals really loved peace, prosperity and national cohesion, they’d remember the 1920s or 1950s more fondly. And yet they don’t. Why? Because liberals didn’t get to impose their schemes and dreams on the country in those decades. Behind all the talk of unity and bipartisanship and shared sacrifice lies an uglier ambition: power. The audacity of hope behind all this Lincoln-FDR-Obama blather is the dream of riding roughshod over the opposition, of having their way, of total victory.

The Chinese curse and cliche “may you live in interesting times” is on point. Liberals (and a few conservatives as well, alas) seem desperate to live in interesting times. Not me.

You know what I hope? I hope Obama is another Coolidge or Eisenhower. But I’m not holding my breath.

[neonink]

He hasn''t even done anything yet?

And he didn''t do anything in Chicago either.


How about he now PROVES HIMSELF WORTHY OF COMPARISON? Is that too much to ask for?

[cbs_oliver]

Liberals want the best for America.

Sour grapes will not be part of that.

[ampsanne]

PLEASE! Just like neonlink said don''t compare Obama yet to FDR or Lincoln. FDR brought this country out of the great depression. Is Obama going to create the CCC camps like FDR did to help get this country back on it''s feet? And another thing we''re living in the present, not back in Lincoln''s time.

[jerr11]

Just more media ***.

No more hype puleeeze!!

[centerfall94]

Obama isn''t even sworn in yet, and already the poor, bitter neocon terrorists are trashing anything and everything associated with him. The neocons hate America a lot.

[greeneyes222]

Obama wants to be a uniter ... maybe in some sense, but I''ve never seen an election where the honeymoon period was over so quickly. All that "change" he talked about, and then he drags out the same tired old Democrats.

The problem with generating so much hope is that as you fail - even if the reasons are driven by circumstance and entirely logical - true believers fall by the wayside. It''s already started.

Lincoln? Not even close.

[kazoodan]

This from the hacks who didn''t waste any time comparing him to Carter, even before the election.

[standlee5]

No kidding. obmama has never done a blasted thing, never been responsible for ANTHING, has never proven himself or been tested and all of a sudden he''s Lincoln. CNN has become a bunch of dumbed down cultish adoring followers.

[wtcmedic911]

At least let him become president and do the job for several years before saying hes anyone other then b.h.o.

[imnho]

Its to early to tell if he is the next Lincoln. It would be great if that happens. I always hope that no matter who wins the election there presidency is a sucess. I would not ind if ever president in the future had the wisdom of FDR oe Lincoln

[aakalan]

Where did all these right-wing nuts come from to bash Obama as not being American, as being Muslim, as being a "baby killer"?

Someone needs to tell you neanderthals that the election is over, and you lost. Obama will soon be the President of the United States. All the United States. Unless you hate America (and yourselves, by extension), it''s time to hope that he''s as brilliant, talented and committed as advertised, because it''s the country, -your county-, that''s at stake, it''s the future, -your future- that''s at stake.

So, unless you want to see America fail, you should be wishing Obama well.

NRO and its readers are a brand apart sigh .

[sincity_q]

Here''s another old proverb...

"Ne''er is the hand that wants filled by that which it reaches out. Rare is the eye that seeks in sleep found but to dreams."

I guess we always find what we want to find, see what we want to see.

[amjoe-2009]

Lincoln was against slavery. He was also against blacks remaining in the United States. Lincoln advocated sending all black slaves (I think he articulated this position first publically about 1856) back to Africa. Oddly enough the place Barak Hussein Obama''s father was born. Lincoln wasn''t against slavery to help negro slaves, he was against slavery because he thought it damaged white America. Freeing the slaves was one of Lincoln''s gambits to assist him in winning the Civil War, not out of a burning desire to assist negro slaves. His burning desire was to hold the Union together. He said as much.

[shimano35]

Comparing Obama to lincoln is like comparing Richard Simmons to Michael Jordan!!

[presjfk]

I voted for Obama but to compare him to anyone before he gets in office and does something is ridiculous.

[sblake63]

It''''s insulting to even see Lincoln''''s name in the same sentence with Obama''''s. Obama hasnt even proven himself to be a citizen yet. There is a case before the high court that is demanding Obama provide a valid birth certificate to prove he was born in the USA. The only thing provided by him was a certificate of live birth which isnt even a legal document. Anybody can get a hospital to produce one.

It is suspected he was born in Kenya. The consitution says you have to be a natural born (born here) to qualify to be president. Strange this got some minor press coverage in early October and no more was heard of it, the case is still pending before the high court.

Go to www.obamacrimes.com for more info.

Seeing Lincoln compared to this "baby killer" is sad!

[redhawk1021]

Oh, but as some conservatives have done comparing him to Jimmy Carter is fine, along with hanging around with terrorists, along with ''marixt'', ''communist'', ''muslim'' and shouting for him to be killed at political rallies.

The sarcastic tone of this piece speaks more to the current frustrated and disordered mind of the writer (and conservatives in general) than it does to Obama''s future.

[opedanderson]

I don''t like the guy. Actually, I don''t have anything against him, but I have been sickened by how the media has treated him like our next Messiah.

We need to give him a chance. In light of how bad things are, we need to give me a lot of wiggle room and opportunities to fail. Because jumping on him too hard and too early might make stiffle his willingness to find innovative solutions to the mess we are in. And trust me, we need all the innovation we can get.

Having said all that, it is way to early to compare him to any of our great presidents. We simply don''t know. Also, your point about all the "revisionist" history going on these days is really sickening.

[redhawk1021]

''You know what I hope? I hope Obama is another Coolidge or Eisenhower.''

You''re a lousy liar, Mr. Goldberg. This shameless, cynical piece bashing on liberals makes Obama''s victory that much sweeter, and the defeat and the vanquishing of the Neocons that much satisfying.

I really wish the staff at the NRO were 1/2 as smart as they think they are.

[oskieguy]

no
heck no
he was voted buy 53% on voter apathy.
he is not involoved in civil rights because that is over
Obama is just in over his head. They are swimming above his head NOW. There are not enough answers to the plethora of questions AND none can really produce.

[oskieguy]

Meshia?
a president?
look the pres has no REAL power. House and Senate have that.
all a pres can do is enact war and pardon people

to think a pres is REALLY going to help ME
or Joe

how insulting

[oskieguy]

Meshia?
a president?
look the pres has no REAL power. House and Senate have that.
all a pres can do is enact war and pardon people

to think a pres is REALLY going to help ME
or Joe

how insulting

[cbs_oliver]

Let''s wait till after the civil war to decide.

[irmcvet97]

This Nazi Rag is an embarrassment to Intelligence and the American People!

[irmcvet97]

Lincoln presided over the greatest slaughter in this countries history, then let Sherman destroy the South. FDR didn''''t bring this country out of the depression, credit for that goes to the Germans and Japanese. I was born in 1930 and I don''''t remember the first half of the thirties, but I sure remember the second half and it was still bad. No matter how they tried there was not enough work to give every one a job this didn''''t change until the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. After Pearl Harbor every one had a job that wanted one and this country has been moving forward every since, except for a few ups and down, but always forward.

Posted by d7767w at 04:45 PM : Nov 22, 2008

You didn''t get far enough in school to figure out to much did you? Lincoln DID NOT order Sherman to burn all that he did, he did that on his own. NO ONE will EVER know if FDR''s Policies would have pulled the nation completely out of the Great Depression because of the World War II. TO assume they would not is complete stupidity though given that those Policies Produced the Greatest Economy on Planet EARTH! Why do you people continue to be so opposed to seeking Education that would make you less embarrassing?

[nearl4511]

Between the lines the article underscores the true fear of the right: that Obama may not only be competent, but an excellent President.

They are not afraid of socialism, they are afraid of never being voted in again.

[andor3]

"They are not afraid of socialism, they are afraid of never being voted in again. "

True! The NRO are clinging to a failed ideology and their desperation is showing. For example, Obama supporters never thought of him as a "messiah," that was a label applied by NRO and anti-Obama folks. Honestly, Obama supporters see a talented, smart human man with flaws, and we are fortunate he has emerged as a leader at this critical time in our nations history. Funny how the conservatives want leaders to be dictators who are divine, super-human, and tell everyone what to do or think--that is what got us into trouble!

[omnibus66]

''The 1930s was a miserable decade of poverty, domestic unrest, labor strife, violations of civil liberties and widespread fear.''

Sounds just like the Bush years, doesn''t it?

Comparing Obama to Lincoln or FDR at this point is indeed unfair. After all, Lincoln had a beard, and FDR was crippled.

But one thing for sure. No future president will ever want to be likened to George W Bush.

[Marie Zarankevich]

Our only problem is the inability of the public, or media, to get off of the "election hot-buttons". -- WE ARE NOT SELECTING CANDIDATES ANYMORE, FOLKS!! -- Back off on the hot coals, and at least let the man get into the driver''s seat before you criticize his driving, yo! -- You people really ought to ''Dig'' yourselves. -- Do the words "Out Of Control" ring a bell???

[ubrew12]

NRO: "No more talk of him being The One (Oprah), or a Jedi Knight (George Lucas), or a ''Lightworker'' (the San Francisco Chronicle), or a ''quantum leap in American consciousness'' (Deepak Chopra). "

In case it was lost on anyone that NRO is now hopelessly lost in tabloid ''commentary''. Gosh, those deluded luminaries of the left: George Lucas and Deepak Chopra.

Get serious.

Anyone now familiar with Rush Limbaugh journalism knows that by saying ''Obama is not Lincoln'', NRO hopes to convince its rightwing accolytes (who aren''t exactly well-read) that serious reporters and consumers of news actually THINK this. To which I say:

NO MATTER WHAT ANYONE SAYS: THE NATIONAL REVIEW ONLINE IS not, I repeat NOT, Satan''s publicist. There''s just too much of that misinformation going on out there.