Abraham Lincoln

He was forced to apologize for performing in an offensive costume that appeared to mock Jewish people, complete with a prosthetic nose.

Macklemore said that he had no idea that the costume was offensive and said he thought he resembled Abraham Lincoln.

Okay, and then in a now-deleted 2009 tweet, take a look at this.

McLemore accused George W. Bush of knocking down the Twin Towers.

And in particular, writing emancipation into the law.

And so, you know, during the Civil War, of course, President Abraham Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation.

But, you know, one of his final projects was, was working with his Republican allies in Congress to try to write into the Constitution the abolition of slavery to make sure that emancipation is on sound constitutional footing.

So maybe tell us a bit about that story and how it continues the story of the U.S. Constitution and more broadly the push by reformers over time to try to make the document more perfect.

And so it was the problem that continued up until it was abolished.

This was something that was a constant source, obviously deep, deep injustice, but also deep disagreement within the United States.

And so when Abraham Lincoln is rising to power, he has to find a way to navigate this deep evil within the United States, and also a way to remain committed to the promise of the U.S. Constitution.

And he actually evolves over time on his answer to this problem.

And one of them that I remember noting several times in my Barnes and Noble days was the novel by George Saunders, Lincoln in the Bardo.

which is a book all about the mourning process of the son of Abraham Lincoln.

And he is his way of mourning is very fictionalized.

It takes place in this place called the Bardo, which is this ghostly world kind of between life and death where he sees various ghosts, which represent various emotions that he's going through the death of not just his father, but, you know, a great man in the historical sense, but also the personal emotions that come through that.

It's got this, you know, it's Willie Lincoln, not Todd Lincoln, I should say.

Willie Lincoln grieving his father.

So you have this like very personal story, but you have, you know, that magnetic larger than life attraction of a character like Abraham Lincoln, who shows up in quite a bit of opera.

You know, I think of like The Perfect American, where he's like an animatronic.

Go back fifty years and you find an example of a government of that sort in the Third Napoleon with his empire based on the plebiscite.

Abraham Lincoln declared at Gettysburg that the government he was trying to preserve was a government of the people, for the people, and by the people, and that government was the government of the United States under the Constitution.

On October 22, 1862, Governor Andrew, writing to Daniel Henshaw in regard to the conference of loyal governors recently held at Altoona, said, In conclusion, I can but regret the tendency I observe to obtrude matters mainly personal upon the attention of the people.

It is the great cause of democratic, constitutional, representative government which is now on trial.

It is the same constitution now as it was then, except for the war amendments, and if Abraham Lincoln and John A. Andrew thought that it was a government of the people which they were giving their lives to save, I do not believe that any of us need be disturbed if we find ourselves in agreement with them.

Lincoln also said in his first inaugural, A majority held in restraint by constitutional checks and limitations, and always changing easily with deliberate changes of popular opinions and sentiments, is the only true sovereign of a free people.

You observe that he says a majority under constitutional checks and limitations.

The Democracy of the Constitution and Other Addresses and Essays by Henry Cabot Lodge.

This goes on to show you how old the motherfuckers are that run this country.

Abraham Lincoln? No.

Way later.

Way later? Way later.

Jimmy Carter? Yes.

Was the first president to be born in a hospital.

What the hell? Could you imagine me and Abraham Lincoln's mama just being like, all right, go get me a bucket.

And birthing his ass right in the bed.

On the wall over the table were three pictures which had not been there before.

One was of Charles Sumner, one of Rufus Choate, and one of Abraham Lincoln.

On the table beneath was this note in his mother's hand.

I want you, my own good boy, to learn what you attempt to know as thoroughly and do what you believe to be right as fearlessly as Charles Sumner did Rufus Choate had the great power to so move men's minds that they were like something melted which he could shape as he chose.

If you can be as brave, tender, and good as Abraham Lincoln was, I shall wish with all my heart that you may have power like Rufus Choate's and opportunity like Charles Sumner's.

You mustn't fret about father.

He's as pleased and satisfied as we are.

The female young may bob their hair, but they do not reject divine revelation.

I am told by experts that it is still a sort of marvel, as it was in the youth of Abraham Lincoln, to find a farm wife who has definitely renounced the theology of the local pastors.

The fact has obvious moral... and, by an easy step, political consequences.

There are about six and a half million farmers in the United States.

Two-headed shark attack.

Abraham Lincoln versus

zombies.

I actually saw that.

I believe immigration is good.

And it starts with a quote from Abraham Lincoln that immigration immigrants are a source of our national strength.

Why don't we.

changed the law so that they have an opportunity to apply for legal residence.