Abe Lincoln - Nice Guy, Tough Guy (Episode #82, 12 Feb. 2022)

This podcast was recorded on February 12, 2022, Abe Lincoln's birthday.   Why do we all love Lincoln so much?  What made him our number 1 president? Through the lens of his Second Inaugural speech, we explore what made Lincoln so... fricking... awesome.   We see two characteristics that are rarely possessed in one person: absolute, stone cold toughness in battle, coupled with total forgiveness after the battle was over.  He was a nice guy, tough guy.   In this speech given just weeks before he died, he essentially gave an ultimatum to the South: Option 1 - Keep fighting, and you will be crushed.  All chips in.  All in.  No compromise on the question of slavery.  You're going down.  In his beautiful words: "Yet, if God wills that it continue, until all the wealth piled by the bond-man's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash, shall be paid by another drawn with the sword."  Get chills reading that with Lincoln pressaging Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction, going all Old Testament on the South.   Option 2 - Lay down your arms.  Recognize federal sovereignty.  Accept that slavery will be abolished.  And you will be forgiven, allowed to return home, and welcomed back.   "With malice toward none, with charity for all..."   This was a hella fun episode to do.  I am going to do a second one on the Gettysburg Address for Part 2.   Like US Grant, I have Mega Man Crush on Abe Lincoln.  I actually like US Grant better, but along with MLK, and US Grant, they are easily top 3 for me in terms of my favorite American Heroes.  TR is not far behind, but that will bee subject of another episode...