5 months ago
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The Clinton School invited Presidential Historian Richard Norton Smith to come speak on "Lincoln 200". It has been 200 years since Abraham Lincoln was born.
Smith is an expert, having at one time been the first director of the Lincoln Presidential Library. He has also headed up the Reagan and Eisenhower Museums. He is currently a lecturer, author, and network TV analyst and consultant. He took time to talk with us about the how the current administration compares.
While the Obama administration started off by comparing itself to the challenges of Lincoln's Presidency, Smith points out that the crises were entirely different. Obama didn't have eight states trying to secede like Lincoln did. However, Smith doesn't lose sight of the historical significance of the Obama election.
As to Obama vs Franklin Roosevelt, here again there is a stark difference. The country under Roosevelt had gone deeper into depression, and fuindamental changes were made in government as a result.
Smith points out too, that in Obama's case, the picture is a little murkier because government bailouts had already begun when Obama took office. Still, the current President is given some credit for helping the nation avert a longer-lasting recession.
As to the civility issue that has made headlines recently, Smith admits it's probably racially motivated.
