The last photograph: Alexander Gardner.

[NNadir]

This I think among the thousands - the last - is the most beautiful portrait of the President. I have always loved this photograph as a measure of the suffering and power of the man and how, as President Obama remarked today, he, Lincoln himself, "gave his last full measure"

It was taken by Alexander Gardner on February 5, 1865, a little over 2 months before the end.

Our present President's speech today honoring our sixteen President was genius worthy of the occassion of the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth, and like the photograph, was a true work of art.

[Fire Walk With Me]

1. ...

:thumbsup:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. My dear NNadir...

It is a beautiful photograph...But Lincoln looks so tired. It breaks my heart to see him that way...

Thank you for posting this very appropriate picture today, sweetie...

:fistbump:

[NNadir]

3. Lincoln said shortly before the end, "nothing touches the tired spot."

They say his last day was the happiest day of his life, though.

Lincoln was one of America's greatest literary figures, composing some of the most compact and evocative prose written in this - or any language.

It is fitting that a fine literary President was there to frame him once more for the American people. You have to see that speech, Peg. You can access it from Countdown's website.

It was, I think, one of the best speeches I have ever seen an American President make, a little humor, a little humility, a lot of political and historical depth.

I cannot believe that after the ravages of these last years that our country has found such a President, seemingly from nowhere, much as it was with Lincoln.

May Obama not be so aged as the man he so admires.

Thanks, as always.

[Orrex]

4. Good grief, can you imagine if Bush had spoken at the 200th birthday?

Zombie Lincoln would rise up and put the smack down.

And, afterwards, Conservatives would claim that the smackdown was because of the tariff.

[NNadir]

6. Can you imagine? That stuttering slobbering fool would have been a mockery.

[darkstar]

7. Wow...54 in that picture...he looks exhuasted to the core

[Fire Walk With Me]

9. Yet he has an expression of genuine satisfaction I've not seen in other photos of him.

[NNadir]

11. He lost a beloved son during the whole thing, and his wife began to lose her mind.

Contrary to popular opinion, Lincoln loved his wife deeply, and to see her coming unhinged must have wounded him deeply.

The boy's death, Willie's death, stung him deeply, and all of that was before any of the horrible, horrible, horrible stuff associated with the war.

[PaddyBlueEyes]

5. I went to Gettysburg this fall for remembrance day

They had a man there playing Lincoln....It was chilling the likeness..God Bless Ol Abe, setting the groundwork for Nov 4th, 2008.

[NNadir]

8. Did you read Wills' book?

If not, you should try it.

http://books.google.com/books?id=davwbPampToC&dq=Lincoln+at+Gettysburg&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=M_qUSbL9B4zAMevhmf0L&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=6&ct=result">Lincoln At Gettysburg: The Words That Remade America.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

13. This is a great one, too

"Lincoln At Cooper Union" by Harold Holzer.

http://www.amazon.com/Lincoln-Cooper-Union-President-Schuster/dp/0743299647/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234501367&sr=8-1

It tells the story of how that great speech came to be made and what it meant to Lincoln and to the United States. I thought it was a strange subject on which to write a whole book, but I was mesmerized.

A nice chunk of the book tells the story behind this famous photograph of Lincoln:

[Tuesday Afternoon]

10. Thanks for posting this. n/t

[GoddessOfGuinness]

12. I had my son read the Gettysburg Address today...

...as part of his homeschool lesson. He'd never read it before, though he'd heard the opening lines. It was really quite remarkable...
This short speech contains some relatively sophisticated language for a 10 year old. Yet the simplicity of the ideas Lincoln was trying to convey made it perfectly understandable to my son.

Thank you for this photo...It is hauntingly beautiful.

[murielm99]

14. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in

Springfield IL is a great place to visit. Go there if you get the chance.

[NNadir]

15. I have been to Springfield, and toured the Lincoln home and went to the tomb.

I actually wasn't aware that there was a library, but I did buy a great book on Lincoln's humor when I was in town, I can't remember exactly where.

I think Gary Wills was right: You cannot understand this country at all without trying to understand how Lincoln imagined it.

Our President, in his speech last night, showed his deep scholarship on this subject, and that bodes well for our country.