Jon Meacham, the presidential historian, stopped by Tuesday’s CNN Tonight to discuss a segment that included several loony analogies. One was that voting Republican is akin voting for the Confederacy, Knights of the Golden Circle or the Confederacy. This naturally means that voting Democrat is like Abraham Lincoln saving the Union, and Winston Churchill not giving in to the Nazis.
Alisyn Camerota, co-host, opened things by inviting Meacham “tell us why this is the most significant election since 1850.”
Meacham responded that it was the most important election since that period because we are facing a stress test on the rule of law. Democracies are not about policies. They also care about tax rates and policy.
He would confess that he had misunderstood the power of the big lie and, as George W. Bush might have said, he would admit it. It’s buried in and democracies don’t last long if everything becomes about power at all costs.
Meacham tried to make fun of Bush but Meacham forgot that Bush was the subject not one, but two conspiracy theories about the election from the party he now demands that the rest of us vote to save democracy.
Laura Coates, co-host, followed up with an analogy train. “You know, speaking about the big lie, and it was really interesting that you touched on this notion in your book, I think maybe people wouldn’t — would not consider that Lincoln and Biden are grappling, or at some point, we’re grappling, with our own version of that big lie.”
If Lincoln is Biden then the GOP is Confederacy. “In Lincoln’s instance, it was the big lie about slavery being a justifiable institution that should be preserved. The book outlines three instances where he gave in to pressure. His vice president also succumbed to pressure. Had he turned over Fort Sumter to placate Confederacy and delay Civil War, the course might have been very different.”
Meacham, waxing poetic, warned that “if we go completely political, if the battle is entirely, then the system won’t last.”
Meacham compared Lincoln analogies to Meacham’s “Abraham Lincoln” and stated that “If he had been a politician, he would have made many — could have made many different decisions that would have probably sustained slavery, certainly late in the 19th century, possibly into the 20th.”
“Lincoln said no.” It’s partly like Churchill did in 1940. He realized that appeasement was not working. Even if you did, it was clear that the south, the southern white south from which I’m from, was not interested in slavery in its limited scope.
Meacham offered the most bizarre analogy yet. “There was an ambitious plan for slavery to add Cuba to empire, to add Mexico, Nicaragua, to build this, it’s known as the Golden Circle. It was going to grow and it would have fundamentally changed everything. Abraham Lincoln, flawed and fallen, and fallible, refused to accept it. He said no because he believed that slavery had to end and the union had must endure.”
Is voting for Brian Kemp against Stacey Abrams equivalent to Lincoln or Fort Sumter defenders? CNN did not say.
Mercedes-Benz sponsored this segment.
Here’s a transcript from the October 25th show:
CNN Tonight
10/25/2022
10:21 PM ET
ALISYN CAMEROTA – It’s great to see you. You are so good at showing us the big picture. Tell us why this election is so important since 1850.
JON MEACHAM : I think it’s the most significant election since that period. This is because we are facing a stress test on the rule of law. Democracies are not about policies. They also don’t care about tax rates or policy. It’s about a general context of mutual respect for one another as fellow citizens, and a sanctity and custom of law and order.
This means that those who win elections are legally eligible to hold office. You can destroy trust in the system, as is happening today across the country. As George W. Bush might admit, I underestimated the power of the big lie. It’s a deep-rooted problem and democracies will not last if all is about power at the cost of winning graciously and humblely.
LAURA COATES – You know, talking about the big lie, and I thought your book was really interesting that you touched on this idea. I think people might not realize that Lincoln and Biden are both grappling with the same thing, or that we’re all grappling with our own version of the big lies.
Lincoln believed that slavery was a legitimate institution that should be preserved. The book reveals that there were three moments when Lincoln gave in to the pressure. His vice president also succumbed to the pressure. Had he turned over Fort Sumter to the Confederacy to delay the Civil War, history might have been very different.
These analogies are drawn in a way that I think is not always obvious, but it’s fascinating for me to see how and where we are today.
MEACHAM: The central issue for us all, I think, is about leaders and the leader and we all have to contribute to this, for the continuation and improvement of the constitutional experiment. The question is: Do we prioritize our own interests over all else? If you do, this can lead to a war between all.
If it’s all politics, instead of having a moral component. (I’m not preaching). Moral means how we relate to each other. It’s all about custom. If it’s all political, if it’s completely, every moment of the battle is cataclysmic then the system won’t last.
As you mentioned, Abraham Lincoln was a politician if he was not. He could have made many decisions that would have likely sustained slavery, at least late into the 19th century, and possibly well into the 20th century.
After he wins the presidency, there was a perfectly rational compromise to expand slavery to West. Let it go into Arizona, New Mexico, you know. America was nothing but an exercise in compromise.
Lincoln said no. It’s a lot like Churchill’s 1940 decision. He realized that appeasement was not working. Even if you did give in, it was clear that the south, the southern white south from which I’m from, wasn’t interested in slavery in its narrow sphere.
It was an ambitious plan to seize slavery in Cuba to expand the empire. To add Nicaragua and Mexico to this, it was called the Golden Circle. It was going to grow and it would have fundamentally changed everything. Abraham Lincoln, flawed and fallen, said no. He said no because he believed that slavery had to end and the union must endure.
