President Obama Honors Abraham Lincoln on His 200th Birthday
WASHINGTON - Barack Obama honored his hero Abraham Lincoln on the 200th anniversary of his birth Thursday, acknowledging his election as American's first African-American president was part of Lincoln's legacy.
"I feel a special gratitude to this singular figure who in so many ways made my own story possible, and in so many ways made America's story possible," Obama said.
The bipartisan national Lincoln bicentennial celebration was held in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, which was turned into an Army triage hospital where Union soldiers were treated during the Civil War.
Despite the intense negotiations that finally led to an agreement on a stimulus package, Obama insisted that he be allowed time this week to reflect on Lincoln, whose presidency, along with Franklin D. Roosevelt's, have become the models for the Obama White House.
Obama has studied the decisions and dealings of those two Presidents, borrowing from Lincoln the strategy of bringing political rivals into his administration, and combing over the moves FDR made in his first 100 days in office to tackle The Great Depression.
Obama noted how Lincoln preached healing after vanquished the Confederacy in the Civil War.
Lincoln "could have sought revenge," Obama said, but he insisted that no Confederate troops be punished.
"All Lincoln wanted was for Confederate troops to go back home and return to work on their farms and in their shops," Obama said. "That was the only way, Lincoln knew, to repair the rifts that had torn this country apart. It was the only way to begin the healing that our nation so desperately needed."
Obama also attended a ceremony Wednesday night at the historic Ford's Theatre, where Lincoln, the 16th president, was assassinated in 1865.
Obama was headed later to Springfield, Ill. for another event honoring the 16th President. He will be the keynote speaker at the Abraham Lincoln Association's annual dinner.
Reader Comments
not too sure
Being a teen in this crisis were stuck in; and going into college I'm not very educated about the details of what Abe Lincoln did.But reading this about Obama sparks my interest into learning more about Abe and Obama. Even the other great presidents that have made a huge impact for our country. I'm not patriotic at all and have never had an interest in history, but reading this gives me faith to believe if Lincoln helped our country recover from less resources then why can't Obama pull us out of this black hole the the U.S. is sumbmerged in once again?
Lincoln's Wisdom
I am pleased to hear that Obama, feels a "special gratitude" and has "studied the decisions and dealings" of Lincoln.
When President Lincoln faced a financial crises he had the good sense to tell the New York bankers off when they demanded usurious interest on the debt needed to attempt to preserve the union. Instead he directed the treasury to issue Debt-Free Greenbacks to finance the obligations of the government. In so doing he kept us for a time and to some extent from the bondage of indebtness to bankers.
In light of President Obama's special affection for Lincoln we should perhaps discuss very extensively, very publically and on every opportune occasion President Lincoln's solution to a previous dire financial crisis.
there are definite similarities
...like the complete disregard for the Constitution.
advertisement
