by Sol Rayos

Created on: October 05, 2008

I'm not sure where this president precedent of speaking out about current presidents started and I'm not the most knowledgeable when it comes to history but I can tell you one thing for certain, it's something our greatest president never did. No, I'm not talking about the Great Communicator Ronald Reagan because if he did or did not I am uncertain. It probably wouldn't have been a wise plan for him to criticise others though because he really messed things up. I don't think I need to go into detail but look at the state of mental health care and the crack epidemic, you're talking Grade A gaffs. I'm not talking about Bill Clinton because he's clung to the lime light like a moth. No, it's not George Washington either, cause he knew no one could do it like he did and laid out a pretty generic criticism which can probably be applied to everyone since him. Pretty cocky if you ask me, but then again he has been pretty dead on target about the whole political divisions being dangerous and long standing allies being a bit of a drag. In case you haven't already skimmed ahead out of frustration here comes the moment you've been waiting for. The man I'm talking about is none other than Honest Abe.

Sure you can say that he never did such a thing because to do so might call on him to tout his own achievements (freeing the slaves, pulling together a nation in schism) but it's that humility that made him so great. He was a normal guy and understood how difficult the job was and didn't rush to judgement about how those who followed him were doing. There's something to be learned by this. He set an example for all of us and anyone who has studied his life in depth, like I have, knows that it was his tremendous character which got him through all the things he faced during his time in office. He was a rough and tumble farm boy from Illinois and his strength and conviction can be seen, if not heard, in the Gettysburg Address. Along with this though, he was also an amazingly graceful president and it was ultimately this grace that got him through the toils and snares of his presidency. It was this grace that taught him how to see that the people that followed him were normal human beings. And he was able to relate to this because he too was a normal human being. I've heard stories about his love of reading and theater...

You know what, on second thought bad example. Leave it to say that he with out sin shall cast the first stone.

Learn more about this author, Sol Rayos.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.