STANTON: The problem's their commander, Whiting. He engineered the fortress himself. The damned thing's his child; he'll defend it till his every last man is gone. He is not thinking rationally, he's...
LINCOLN: (hollering!) "Come on out, you old rat!" (Everyone's startled, and confused. They all turn to Lincoln, who sits in Major Eckert's chair, wrapped in his shawl.) That's what Ethan Allen called to the commander of Fort Ticonderoga in 1776. "Come on out, you old rat!" `Course there were only forty- odd redcoats at Ticonderoga. But, but there is one Ethan Allen story that I'm very partial to -
STANTON: (Outraged) No! No, you're, you're going to tell a story!
I don't believe that I can bear to listen to another one of your stories right now! (Stanton stalks out, shouting down the corridor as he goes). I need the B&O sideyard schedules for Alexandria! I asked for them this morning!
LINCOLN: (Lincoln pays no attention to Stanton's fulminations and continues with his story.) It was right after the Revolution, right after peace had been concluded, and Ethan Allen went to London to help our new country conduct its business with the king.
The English sneered at how rough we are, and rude and simple-minded and on like that, everywhere he went, till one day he was invited to the townhouse of a great English lord. Dinner was served, beverages imbibed, time passed, as happens, and Mr. Allen found he needed the privy. He was grateful to be directed thence - relieved you might say. (Everyone laughs) 
Now, Mr. Allen discovered on entering the water closet that the only decoration therein was a portrait of George Washington. Ethan Allen done what he came to do and returned to the drawing room.
His host and the others were disappointed when he didn't mention Washington's portrait. And finally His Lordship couldn't resist, and asked Mr. Allen had he noticed it, the picture of Washington. He had. Well, what did he think of its placement, did it seem appropriately located to Mr. Allen?
Mr. Allen said it did. His host was astounded! Appropriate? George Washington's likeness in a water closet? Yes, said Mr. Allen, where it'll do good service: the whole world knows nothing'll make an Englishman sh*t quicker than the sight of George Washington. (Everyone laughs). I love that story!
I am no longer a fan of Spielberg due to his overt politics. But he made many movies I enjoy, and even if his storytelling is formulaic, it resonates with me.