I find it adding further irony that President Obama is even now, after ditching the 150th anniversary of his 'hero', Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, he is now echoing Lincoln's Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton. When Lincoln breathed his last after that night of pain in dying, he said; "Now he belongs to the ages!" Gee, what a great inspiration but I guess Obama must take what he can get!
As for the comments from my fellow FReepers, I must FIRMLY disagree! He endured extreme tribulation in prison yet when he was released and then became South African President, he worked hard for reconcilliation that could have gone far worse (Rhodesia->Zimbabwe)! Retiring after a single term is a guide, you have to hope will sometime sink into the culture of Strong-man Africa! Yes, many of his ANC successors are far lesser men but that is also true of G.Washington!
The end of the story has yet to be written. South Africa could well become another Zimbabwe. Whites are being killed and many are fleeing the country. The murder rate in SA is one of the highest in the world.
What’s her name - Doris Goodwin the historian doesn’t believe Stanton said it - she said there was no record of the quotation until years later.