The Reputation of Presidents Takes a Hit in Their Second Term

[AussieMick]

Rob,
You write that " four more years of politics would have taken its toll". I suggest we cannot be certain. I'd argue that , based upon what we know of Lincoln and how he progressed in his later years (like me .... LOL) I think he may well have succeeded in dealing with Reconstruction.

As you say, he was supreme in knowing how to deal with people. He could assess the abilities of people and delegate and knew which people he could trust. Sure, he made a few mistakes ... some Generals wernt too flash ... but he learnt from his mistakes and rarely held a grudge ( anyone know when he did hold a grudge?).

I suggest that following re-election he'd had a huge mandate to enforce his ideas about Reconstruction. Southern Governors would no doubt have tried to impede those ideas, but my money would have been on Lincoln to force/coerce/persuade them to come to terms with his ideals. Arguing with a President who had just won a war and an election wouldnt be too clever . Especially if Lincoln played one State off another, giving special favours to some and promising freebies to another ... and maybe making sure the recalcitrant states knew what would happen if they failed to make changes.