July 29, 1858 Lincoln-Douglas Debate Challenge

Jim Klag

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If Lincoln had won that election, we may have lost the civil war.
Why - because he wouldn't have been President? He may have run anyway. He wouldn't be the only guy to go from a brief stint in the senate to national office. Modern examples are Nixon, JFK and Obama.
 

jgoodguy

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Why - because he wouldn't have been President? He may have run anyway. He wouldn't be the only guy to go from a brief stint in the senate to national office. Modern examples are Nixon, JFK and Obama.
Possible but as you point out, not done in the 19th century. Sounds like a good what-if to analyze.
 

jgoodguy

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Looking back is always easy, lt is looking forward that is hard.
A bright and shiny path back, a thicket of choices going forward.

One of my favorite examples of Lincoln and Fort Sumter. Almost nothing went according to his plan, but he won.
 
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