Lincoln Movie - Your Reviews

[Mark MacKenzie]

Laurie, I think according to the Donald book that Chase was lining himself up for the Presidential nomination for '64 and feeding the media with stories of incompetence within the cabinet. Stories of Seward's chronic absence, Lincoln's feet on the table backwoods story telling fool, corruption etc. Lincoln played him perfectly I think by confronting him in front of Seward and the investigators so that Chase, if he disavowed his statements, which he did, proved himself to be a liar. If he stood by his statements he would have proved himself a traitor to the party and lost great political capital.

Seward offered his resignation not because he felt he had done any wrong, but because he didn't wish to be another problem for the President. Chase offered his because he was embarrassed and caught red handed (is this a native American slur? I hope not...never occurred to me.) Lincoln accepted neither with his two pumpkin analogy which Chase I am sure would have hated. When Lincoln later accepted Chase's resignation, he appointed him to be Chief Justice which effectively pushed him out of the running for President.

I think this is correct but I am a little fuzzy on detail.

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I was surprised in the movie which was 1865 that the cabinet would speak so insolently to Lincoln, at one point accusing his actions as tyrannical. I am not sure who the member was.