Obama should not be defined by Lincoln

Much ado has been made about the similarities between Presidents Barack Obama and Abraham Lincoln. Last week, people celebrated the 200th anniversary of Lincoln’s birthday as some serendipitous event because it overlaps with the beginning of Obama’s term. In the interest of preserving Lincoln’s memory, however, I think we should shy away from this comparison, and Obama should try to establish a grain of political independence.

If there really were a historic connection between Obama and Lincoln, one would think it would have arisen spontaneously. But that is not the case. People only started making the comparison after the current president himself showed that he approved of it.

Obama has always flattered himself by boasting his affinity to Lincoln. He symbolically launched his presidential crusade on the weekend of Lincoln’s birthday and proceeded to quote and refer to him throughout the campaign. On Inauguration Day he used Lincoln’s own Bible ““ on loan from the Library of Congress ““ to deliver his oath. At the risk of being truly kitschy, he even ordered Lincoln’s favorite treats for his Inaugural luncheon (seafood stew, apple cinnamon sponge cake).

Clearly, the metaphor was not something that took hold overnight. It was nursed by the very man who sought to gain the most from its use ““ and the media was happy to indulge in his fancy.

As for the metaphor itself, it falls short on inspiration. An examination of Lincoln and Obama turns up few congruities.

First, Lincoln possessed a meekness and modesty that Obama can’t claim. Inherently shy and rattled by deep insecurities, he had an almost deviant aversion to publicity and ornate displays ““ traits that undoubtedly came from his humble beginnings in a log cabin. At a time of great religiosity, Lincoln was unafraid to admit that he had religious doubts ““ a testament to his authenticity and a validation of his nickname, “Honest Abe.”

By contrast, one sees no shortage of confidence in our current president. If Obama pretends to have a kindred spirit with Lincoln, superficially he has more of the attributes of a Kennedy. He marinates in public displays. Indeed he seems to thrive on them.

Much has also been said of the oratorical skills of both Lincoln and Obama. Such statements show an ignorance of history. First of all, Lincoln wrote his own speeches. Alas, convention now dictates that politicians resort to hiring professional speechwriters ““ a custom Obama mostly adheres to. We should not then assume that anything politicians (including Obama) say is “plain speaking,” or in any way the product of their own imaginations.

But even if this were not the case, Obama’s oratory would pale in comparison to Lincoln’s. The tremendous effect of Lincoln’s speeches came from his superlative writing skills. His words were not drawn out and professorial (as Obama’s are), but brief and purposive. Famously, his Gettysburg Address was only 10 sentences long.

Lincoln’s enduring themes and poetic constructions were moving even to those who could not hear them in person and had to read them instead. Obama’s speeches do not have the same effect. Indeed, what makes Obama successful is not his eloquence, but his delivery. Unlike Lincoln, he is blessed with a baritone voice tailored to effective communication, which is matched by his good looks and superb confidence. Thus, while his speeches tend to be wordy and pedantic (like his Inaugural), they sound much better than they would if anyone with a lesser presence (even Lincoln) were at the podium.

Similarly, Obama’s attempts to create a “team of rivals” have drawn comparisons to Lincoln. Even if that were the case, it hardly means that he will be able to replicate Lincoln’s achievements. On one of the greatest crises of his presidency ““ the emancipation of slaves ““ Lincoln refused to compromise with the opposition. He also suspended the writ of habeas corpus, a move that would have affronted civil-liberty-minded politicians like Obama. And yet, the war would probably have dragged on without these measures.

While it cannot compare, Obama has made the financial crisis his Civil War. He has made Lincoln his lodestar ““ the model he will consult throughout his presidency. But there is more to this job than imitation. Soon there will come a time when Obama is presented with a problem for which Lincoln left no example, and when it does, he will have to rely on his own instincts.

Obama has to get comfortable with his own political identity. While many of our presidents looked to their predecessors for guidance, most did so for moral support ““ not for guides to policy.

If Obama wants to emulate Lincoln’s moral example, I fully empower him to do so. But on a political level he has to march to his own drum.

Great presidents, after all, are one of a kind.

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