Charlie Rose

SharkswithfrikingLazers  03/06/2012 08:53 PM Report

Charlie, remember when you asked Doris, our TV Historian, if Lincoln was gay? She said men slept together and wrote letters to each other so no big deal for that time.

Well the "Maverick" historian says otherwise over on the History Channel.

LINCOLN—10 Things You Did Not Know

TWENTY-TWO Minutes:

http://www.history.com/shows/10-things-you-dont-know-about/videos/10-things-you-dont-know-about-abrah am-lincoln#10-things-you-dont-know-about-abraham-lincoln

Here is the "Maverick" Historian on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Eisenbach

Lincoln Slept with Men (documented evidence with three men and one of them as President in a 34 room mansion (no need to share a bed here), 1) Billy Green, slept with him on a narrow cot, 2) Joshua Speed, slept with him for four years, 3) David Derrickson, an Army Officer, slept with him at the Presidential Retreat in 1862--together went to church services, theater and became a bro-mance, daughter of a Supreme Court Justice gossips about this)

Lincoln felt enslaved as a child (by his father to neighbors to pay debt)

Lincoln likes fist fights (Jackson probably first, then Lincoln in number of fights)

Lincoln wrote an essay DENYING the divinity of the Holy Bible and never joined a church (but he knows the power of religion and uses it to help win the Presidency)

Lincoln is the only President to ever get a patent: #6469 (a way to give a Riverboat buoyancy to get off a sandbar)

Lincoln might be considered a Racist (In 1862 he said Blacks are far removed from equality with the White race. So better for both races to be separated. His plan for them was to be deported to Panama to a place like Monroe's Liberia.)

Lincoln had trouble with women (not fun, cold feet about getting married to two women, 3 years of on again-off again drama and then at age 34 gets married to Mary Todd, he is no Jack Kennedy.)

Best Friend owned Slaves (Joshua Speed, who Lincoln slept with for four years, was visited by Lincoln and Speed's family detailed Lincoln a slave to provide him service during his visit, this had a profound effect on Lincoln's attitude toward slavery)

Lincoln gets shot at and the bullet rips into his hat (Lincoln used to ride alone to the summer cottage and this bullet passes inches from his head, he later creates the Secret Service the day before he was assassinated)

Lincoln is actually photographed with his killer (Booth attended a speech and when Lincoln said that freed slaves should get the right to vote this was too much for Booth)

John Gavula  09/29/2008 03:16 PM Report

I just finished Team of Rivals and I thought I would say that Doris Kearns Goodwin succeeds in here declared goal...I will miss these characters.

It's an amazingly rich story that in this of all election years seems almost prescient in its retelling of history.

Once I finished I had to revisit the beginning both to reengage the early years of these men I came too know in detail as adults. But also because I was sad to put the book down.

Thanks Doris!

John Gavula  09/29/2008 03:16 PM Report

I just finished Team of Rivals and I thought I would say that Doris Kearns Goodwin succeeds in here declared goal...I will miss these characters.

It's an amazingly rich story that in this of all election years seems almost prescient in its retelling of history.

Once I finished I had to revisit the beginning both to reengage the early years of these men I came too know in detail as adults. But also because I was sad to put the book down.

Thanks Doris!