--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Abraham Lincoln is the guy who could…" description: "\"Abraham Lincoln is the guy who could never be elected today, but whom we desperately wish we could elect.\" — Bill Oberst Jr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed7/bill-oberst-jr-35340_abraham_abraham-lincoln-is-the-guy-who-could-nev_2090660.jpg" --- # Abraham Lincoln is the guy who could never be elected… ![“Abraham Lincoln is the guy who could never be elected today, but whom we desperately wish we could elect.” quote by Bill Oberst Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed7/bill-oberst-jr-35340_abraham_abraham-lincoln-is-the-guy-who-could-nev_2090660.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed7/bill-oberst-jr-35340_abraham_abraham-lincoln-is-the-guy-who-could-nev_2090660.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed7/bill-oberst-jr-35340_abraham_abraham-lincoln-is-the-guy-who-could-nev_2090660.jpg) > “Abraham Lincoln is the guy who could never be elected today, but whom we desperately wish we could elect.” [Bill Oberst Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-oberst-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Lincoln's moral clarity feels out of step with modern politics, yet people long for his integrity. **In simple terms:** People wish for honest leadership like Lincoln. Key Takeaway Seek leaders who prioritize principle over popularity. Themes leadership integrity politics Mood thoughtful hopeful Type political historical When to use this quote - voting decisions - political activism - education curricula Key Concepts historical legacy public trust Questions to Reflect On - What qualities define trustworthy leadership today? - Can historical figures guide contemporary politics? A Different Perspective Modern contexts may not allow Lincoln's style. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abraham/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [“Peace is possible because it is today more than ever desperately necessary”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/widad-akrawi/peace-is-possible-because-it-is-today-more-than-ever-desperately/) [Widad Akrawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/widad-akrawi/) > [ \[Donald Trump\] is the one guy you could have elected who's not going to cave on this \[global establishment\] stuff, certainly not in the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-the-one-guy-you-could-have-elected-who-s-not-going-to/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Abraham Lincoln is resolute, honest, has the best interest of the nation at heart, and he's as ugly as homemade Sunday sin, so he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/abraham-lincoln-is-resolute-honest-has-the-best-interest-of-the/) [Bill Oberst Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-oberst-jr/) > [The fact that Abraham Lincoln ever, ever became President is either a freak accident of history... or destiny; God's providence to America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/the-fact-that-abraham-lincoln-ever-ever-became-president-is-either-a/) [Bill Oberst Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-oberst-jr/) > [I assume, gladly, that in the allocation to America of remarkable leaders like Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln, the Lord was just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/i-assume-gladly-that-in-the-allocation-to-america-of-remarkable/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [Give us a man of God's own mould Born to marshall his fellow-men; One whose fame is not bought and sold At the stroke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-clarence-stedman/give-us-a-man-of-god-s-own-mould-born-to-marshall-his-fellow-men-one/) [Edmund Clarence Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-clarence-stedman/) > [We constantly see surveys that reveal this ignorance, especially among our high school students,78 percent of whom, in a recent nationwide multiple-choice test, identified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/we-constantly-see-surveys-that-reveal-this-ignorance-especially-among/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [There were so many odd, strange things about Abraham Lincoln that I think nobody knew how to pigeonhole him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/there-were-so-many-odd-strange-things-about-abraham-lincoln-that-i/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Abraham Lincoln suggested never presume to know what God's will is, and I would never presume to know God's will or to speak God's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-palin/abraham-lincoln-suggested-never-presume-to-know-what-god-s-will-is/) [Sarah Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-palin/) > [If I could be any famous person, I'd be John Wilkes Booth, because I'd love to shoot Abraham Lincoln in the face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/if-i-could-be-any-famous-person-i-d-be-john-wilkes-booth-because-i-d/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [My favorite thought about Abraham Lincoln is he believed in two things: loving one another and working together to make this world better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/my-favorite-thought-about-abraham-lincoln-is-he-believed-in-two/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [Abraham Lincoln recognized that we could not survive as a free land when some men could decide that others were not fit to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/abraham-lincoln-recognized-that-we-could-not-survive-as-a-free-land/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [My movies more often are told through pictures, not words. But in this case, the pictures took second position to the incredible words of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/my-movies-more-often-are-told-through-pictures-not-words-but-in-this/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Everybody faces obstacles. And I looked to people who had been through many to succeed in life. Abraham Lincoln, born to a poor family,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-winfield/everybody-faces-obstacles-and-i-looked-to-people-who-had-been-through/) [Dave Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-winfield/) > [“Whatever you are, be a good one.”   Abraham Lincoln”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rriiver-nyile/whatever-you-are-be-a-good-one-abraham-lincoln/) [Rriiver Nyile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rriiver-nyile/) ## More by Bill Oberst Jr > [The fact that Abraham Lincoln ever, ever became President is either a freak accident of history... or destiny; God's providence to America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/the-fact-that-abraham-lincoln-ever-ever-became-president-is-either-a/) [Bill Oberst Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-oberst-jr/) > [Lincoln is me. He is America. He is what makes us a great nation and a dangerous nation, all wrapped up in one man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/lincoln-is-me-he-is-america-he-is-what-makes-us-a-great-nation-and-a/) [Bill Oberst Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-oberst-jr/) > [I love swimming in the darker seas, so even if I play a noble guy (well, like Lincoln for instance) I am pre-disposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/i-love-swimming-in-the-darker-seas-so-even-if-i-play-a-noble-guy-well/) [Bill Oberst Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-oberst-jr/) > [If someone asked for advice on being an actor I'd say "Don't. It's a hard life." And if they walked away I'd be happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/if-someone-asked-for-advice-on-being-an-actor-i-d-say-don-t-it-s-a/) [Bill Oberst Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-oberst-jr/) > [Abraham Lincoln is resolute, honest, has the best interest of the nation at heart, and he's as ugly as homemade Sunday sin, so he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/abraham-lincoln-is-resolute-honest-has-the-best-interest-of-the/) [Bill Oberst Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-oberst-jr/) > [All you have to do to be a camera actor is tell the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/all-you-have-to-do-to-be-a-camera-actor-is-tell-the-truth/) [Bill Oberst Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-oberst-jr/) > [The live audience is a blind date. The camera is a hungry lover. One wants to be wined and dined and seduced and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/the-live-audience-is-a-blind-date-the-camera-is-a-hungry-lover-one/) [Bill Oberst Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-oberst-jr/) > [I want to be Lon Chaney. I want to be Karloff. I want to help people escape the mundane world. I want to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/i-want-to-be-lon-chaney-i-want-to-be-karloff-i-want-to-help-people/) [Bill Oberst Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-oberst-jr/) > [Lincoln could be on the moon. He's still Lincoln.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/lincoln-could-be-on-the-moon-he-s-still-lincoln/) [Bill Oberst Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-oberst-jr/) > [Ask questions. Listen. Be quiet. Be willing to make a fool of yourself. Be willing to be completely exposed and to give all you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/ask-questions-listen-be-quiet-be-willing-to-make-a-fool-of-yourself/) [Bill Oberst Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-oberst-jr/) > [Take every job. Learn everybody's name. Show up early. Know who you are and know who you're not. Stop dreaming and start trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/take-every-job-learn-everybody-s-name-show-up-early-know-who-you-are/) [Bill Oberst Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-oberst-jr/) > [Abraham Lincoln was a melancholy man, so he had a dark side that appeals to horror fans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/abraham-lincoln-was-a-melancholy-man-so-he-had-a-dark-side-that/) [Bill Oberst Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-oberst-jr/) [Explore all 13 Bill Oberst Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-oberst-jr/) ## More Abraham quotes > [“That’s all! Now either leave us alone or join us as a father rather than a receiver of sacrifices. You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [Hebron is a bone of contention between Israeli settlers and the Palestinians in part because Abraham is buried there, in the Tomb of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/hebron-is-a-bone-of-contention-between-israeli-settlers-and-the/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [Donald Trump is not going to be the nominee, because we are not going to allow - people will wake up and we're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/donald-trump-is-not-going-to-be-the-nominee-because-we-are-not-going/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [“Never you look down on your Abraham because of your Sarah because the blessing is not in the womb of Sarah but in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ikechukwu-izuakor/never-you-look-down-on-your-abraham-because-of-your-sarah-because-the/) [Ikechukwu Izuakor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ikechukwu-izuakor/) > [“Whatever you are, be a good one.”   Abraham Lincoln”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rriiver-nyile/whatever-you-are-be-a-good-one-abraham-lincoln/) [Rriiver Nyile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rriiver-nyile/) > [Moses was a great leader, right? But he wasn't a great communicator. And so God sent him Aaron so he could, let's say, communicate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-milei/moses-was-a-great-leader-right-but-he-wasn-t-a-great-communicator-and/) [Javier Milei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-milei/) > [“king of Heshbon. 6 b Moses, the servant of the”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/king-of-heshbon-6-b-moses-the-servant-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In the end, thought Sol, past logic and hope, it is dreams and the love of those dearest to us that form Abraham’s answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/in-the-end-thought-sol-past-logic-and-hope-it-is-dreams-and-the-love/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [It was psychobabbler Abraham Maslow who wrote of the phenomena of self-actualization. What Maslow failed to grasp is that reaching true self-actualization can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/it-was-psychobabbler-abraham-maslow-who-wrote-of-the-phenomena-of/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [“Mungu hutumia watu 'wajinga' na 'wapumbavu' kufanya mambo makubwa katika maisha yao na ya watu wengine. Katika Biblia, Musa aliitwa mjinga alipokiuka amri ya…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/mungu-hutumia-watu-wajinga-na-wapumbavu-kufanya-mambo-makubwa-katika/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [“9. Abraham’s death (25:1 – 11) After Sarah’s death, Abraham took another wife, Keturah. Abraham was a rejuvenated old man and continued to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-sailhamer/9-abraham-s-death-25-1-11-after-sarah-s-death-abraham-took-another/) [John H. Sailhamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-sailhamer/) > [“The biblical story of the binding of Isaac shows that human sacrifice was far from unthinkable in the 1st millennium BCE. The Israelites boasted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-biblical-story-of-the-binding-of-isaac-shows-that-human-sacrifice/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Everybody faces obstacles. And I looked to people who had been through many to succeed in life. Abraham Lincoln, born to a poor family,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-winfield/everybody-faces-obstacles-and-i-looked-to-people-who-had-been-through/) [Dave Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-winfield/) > [Someone asked me...how it felt and I was reminded of a story that a fellow townsman of ours used to tell--Abraham Lincoln. They asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/someone-asked-me-how-it-felt-and-i-was-reminded-of-a-story-that-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [American foreign policy and military might have opened an opportunity for the Gospel in the land of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stanley/american-foreign-policy-and-military-might-have-opened-an-opportunity/) [Charles Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stanley/) [Browse all 484 Abraham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abraham/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Abraham Lincoln is the guy who could never be elected today, but whom we desperately wish we could elect.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bill Oberst Jr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/abraham-lincoln-is-the-guy-who-could-never-be-elected-today-but-whom/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abraham" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/abraham-lincoln-is-the-guy-who-could-never-be-elected-today-but-whom/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed7/bill-oberst-jr-35340_abraham_abraham-lincoln-is-the-guy-who-could-nev_2090660.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed7/bill-oberst-jr-35340_abraham_abraham-lincoln-is-the-guy-who-could-nev_2090660.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed7/bill-oberst-jr-35340_abraham_abraham-lincoln-is-the-guy-who-could-nev_2090660.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Abraham Lincoln is the guy who could never be elected today, but whom we desperately wish we could elect.” — Bill Oberst Jr", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bill Oberst Jr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-oberst-jr/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Abraham Lincoln is the guy who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/abraham-lincoln-is-the-guy-who-could-never-be-elected-today-but-whom/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/abraham-lincoln-is-the-guy-who-could-never-be-elected-today-but-whom/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```