"Herndon was born mediocre"

[Jim Garrett]

I think that AL & MT were the first power couple. There are some interesting parallels between the Lincolns and a more modern Presidential power couple. She was from a better class. He was very popular and viewed almost as a "good-ole-boy", she more difficult to deal with. Both with big ambitions for the White House. The main issues were the more modern couple had infidelity issue which I don't believe were a concern in any way, shape or form in the Lincoln marriage.

Didn't Billy Herndon say to Mary Todd at a cotillion, "you move like a serpent."