[Dems2008] Obama and another one-term Illinois congressman

Washington Post letter to the editor

February 25, 2008

 

George F. Will ["Playing the 'Fair' Card," op-ed, Feb. 21] reminded us that Abraham Lincoln had served only a single term in Congress from Illinois when he was elected president.

There are other intriguing parallels between Lincoln and Sen. Barack Obama. Lincoln's opponents for the nomination were far more experienced and better known. Lincoln's appeal was at least in part due to his eloquence. But historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, in "Team of Rivals," believes that Lincoln's success was attributable to his character and life experiences, through which he had developed "a keen sense of what people felt, thought, needed, and wanted." According to Ms. Goodwin, Lincoln also had the capacity to engage Americans from all walks of life and to establish rapport with supporters and opponents alike.

After achieving the presidency, Lincoln was able to bring together persons of divergent opinions and perspectives. Ms. Goodwin calls his Cabinet a "team of rivals."

It is probable that the term of our next president will be challenging, though hopefully not as much as was Lincoln's. It seems likely that the ability to bring together persons of differing viewpoints and to communicate effectively with Americans and with the world will be of utmost importance. Barack Obama seems to have these qualities in abundance.

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