Lincoln's Future

[Rogerm]

I think that Lincoln's reputation as president has benefitted him more over the years from his assassination than has Kennedy's. Following both assassinations, there was an out-pouring of grief and sympathy from much of the country, which Lincoln's successor, Andrew Johnson, squandered; but which Kennedy's successor, Lyndon Johnson, was able to profit from early on with the passage through Congress of the Civil Rights Bill. Andrew Johnson fought with the Radical Republicans almost from the very beginning of his term as President and never recovered, whereas Lyndon Johnson, after a brilliant start to his presidency, ultimately fell in the mire of the Vietnam War. During his lifetime, Lincoln had been an unpopular and controversial president. However, holding to his beliefs and eventually winning the Civil War won him great respect. And, the assassination made him a martyr, which has increased his stature over the ages. Kennedy, on the contrary, was in office for less than one full term and seems to have lost some stature over the years, following the pinnacle of his popularity. Not nearly as many people today consider him as having been one of our greatest presidents as they did back in 1964 and 1965, shortly after his death. Also, back then, the American public didn't know anything about his sexual escapades.

If there had been as much media in Lincoln's day as in Kennedy's, he (Lincoln) probably would never have reached the level of a secular saint. Eventually, the media would have presented more warts in his life story; and some authors and reporters would have thought it their duty to cut his legend down to size.