Was Obama prophetic?
Posted by Brandon | Filed under people, video
With rumors all over the place this week about Hillary possibly joining Obama’s cabinet, this clip seems uncannily prophetic.
Check out this crazy, spot-on clip from a debate a LONG time ago: Obama & Hillary
There also has been a lot of buzz in the media lately about a book–apparently one of the President-elect’s favorites–by historian Doris Kearns Goodwin entitled “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.” It’s available here at Amazon.com and has skyrocketed back up the charts (it was a former bestseller), and is hovering around #10 right now on Amazon’s hourly rankings. I hope someone gets this for me for Christmas. (Mom, you’re reading, right?)
Amazon.com’s review of the book, after the jump…
Amazon.com Review
The life and times of Abraham Lincoln have been analyzed and dissected in countless books. Do we need another Lincoln biography? In Team of Rivals, esteemed historian Doris Kearns Goodwin proves that we do. Though she can’t help but cover some familiar territory, her perspective is focused enough to offer fresh insights into Lincoln’s leadership style and his deep understanding of human behavior and motivation. Goodwin makes the case for Lincoln’s political genius by examining his relationships with three men he selected for his cabinet, all of whom were opponents for the Republican nomination in 1860: William H. Seward, Salmon P. Chase, and Edward Bates. These men, all accomplished, nationally known, and presidential, originally disdained Lincoln for his backwoods upbringing and lack of experience, and were shocked and humiliated at losing to this relatively obscure Illinois lawyer. Yet Lincoln not only convinced them to join his administration–Seward as secretary of state, Chase as secretary of the treasury, and Bates as attorney general–he ultimately gained their admiration and respect as well. How he soothed egos, turned rivals into allies, and dealt with many challenges to his leadership, all for the sake of the greater good, is largely what Goodwin’s fine book is about. Had he not possessed the wisdom and confidence to select and work with the best people, she argues, he could not have led the nation through one of its darkest periods.
Ten years in the making, this engaging work reveals why “Lincoln’s road to success was longer, more tortuous, and far less likely” than the other men, and why, when opportunity beckoned, Lincoln was “the best prepared to answer the call.” This multiple biography further provides valuable background and insights into the contributions and talents of Seward, Chase, and Bates. Lincoln may have been “the indispensable ingredient of the Civil War,” but these three men were invaluable to Lincoln and they played key roles in keeping the nation intact. –Shawn Carkonen
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Tags: books, hillary, obama, politics
5 Responses to “Was Obama prophetic?”
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B's Mom Says:
November 16th, 2008 at 9:01 pmSorry, Brandon, I already have your shopping done….you did want new boxers and socks, right?
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Frank P Says:
November 17th, 2008 at 11:56 amHave heard a lot about this book — and see he’s meeting with McCain this week. Definitely gonna be on my x-mas list too.
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Nev Says:
November 17th, 2008 at 3:15 pmI heard that Pres Elect was reading a book about Lincoln. I was going to do a search to find out the title/author. Now I don’t have to. I’m definitely going to get this. Thanks Brandon!
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senora fernandez Says:
November 18th, 2008 at 10:57 amI think Hillary would be a great Sec of State. I just hope Bill’s dealings don’t get in the way.
I think I’ll join the bandwagon and try to get myself a copy too…or maybe someone (ahem, B) will let senor fernandez know that i might want it for x-mas. -
Brandon Says:
December 5th, 2008 at 9:31 amI will contact him! And hopefully Mom does better than boxers and socks…
Any other great book recommendations for this year?
