[LS]

Washington was phenomenal because everything he did, he did with his eye hundreds of years into the future. Every act he took, every move he made, he did knowing that every subsequent administration would be using his as a model. W was tremendously HATED by the Jeffersonians, but he still kept Jefferson in the coalition.

Lincoln elevated the issue of slavery to the place where it needed to be, namely to the moral plane. He got it out of "practical politics" and forced people to make the hard choice that they had ducked for 80 years. Moreover, to keep the "war coalition" together was a tremendous feat---he was far more of a "minority president" than Bush was. Talk about red and blue states---Lincoln didn't get a vote below the Mason-Dixon line.

[Protagoras]

Washington was phenomenal because everything he did, he did with his eye hundreds of years into the future. Every act he took, every move he made, he did knowing that every subsequent administration would be using his as a model.

I call that speculation, not history. Just my opinion.

Lincoln elevated the issue of slavery to the place where it needed to be, namely to the moral plane.

Nonsense, he advocated sending the slaves away from America. He never made it the issue until it suited his needs.

Moreover, to keep the "war coalition" together was a tremendous feat---he was far more of a "minority president" than Bush was. Talk about red and blue states---Lincoln didn't get a vote below the Mason-Dixon line.

In other words, all the people who wanted to leave the Union, and they had the right IMO, didn't vote for him. Not surprising.

He crapped all over the constitution to get what he wanted. He wanted the Union preserved, it was the only thing he really cared about, by his own admission.

I disagree on Lincoln. Washington was the rare guy who did what he was supposed to do. It made him a hero, I guess. I don't have any problem with him and most others don't either, that's why he is always rated high.