--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The fact that Abraham Lincoln ever, ever…" description: "\"The fact that Abraham Lincoln ever, ever became President is either a freak accident of history... or destiny; God's providence to America.\" — Bill Obe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/429/bill-oberst-jr-35340_abraham_the-fact-that-abraham-lincoln-ever-ever_302780.jpg" --- # The fact that Abraham Lincoln ever, ever became President… ![“The fact that Abraham Lincoln ever, ever became President is either a freak accident of history... or destiny; God's providence to America.” quote by Bill Oberst Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/429/bill-oberst-jr-35340_abraham_the-fact-that-abraham-lincoln-ever-ever_302780.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/429/bill-oberst-jr-35340_abraham_the-fact-that-abraham-lincoln-ever-ever_302780.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/429/bill-oberst-jr-35340_abraham_the-fact-that-abraham-lincoln-ever-ever_302780.jpg) > “The fact that Abraham Lincoln ever, ever became President is either a freak accident of history... or destiny; God's providence to America.” [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. He sees Lincoln’s rise as either a random historical fluke or a divinely guided destiny for America. **In simple terms:** Lincoln’s presidency could be chance or destiny. Key Takeaway Consider both chance and purpose in history. Themes history destiny chance leadership Mood reflective thoughtful inquisitive Type historical philosophical When to use this quote - educational curricula - public discourse - political analysis Key Concepts political fate national identity divine providence Questions to Reflect On - What role does chance play in leadership? - How does belief in destiny shape national narratives? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex historical factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abraham/) [Abraham lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abraham-lincoln/) [Accidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidents/) [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destiny/) [Fact Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fact-abraham-2889575/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Freak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freak/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-destiny-597920/) [Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lincoln/) [Lincoln President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lincoln-president-1554806/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [President Freak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-freak-2889574/) [Providence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/providence/) ## Related quotes > [Abraham Lincoln, in order to maintain the unity of the United Statesresorted to the use of force.so, I think Abraham Lincoln, president, is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhu-rongji/abraham-lincoln-in-order-to-maintain-the-unity-of-the-united/) [Zhu Rongji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhu-rongji/) > [“It is a well known fact that Abraham Lincoln spent much of his spare time visiting wounded soldiers in Union Army hospitals. I've spent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-foner/it-is-a-well-known-fact-that-abraham-lincoln-spent-much-of-his-spare/) [Eric Foner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-foner/) > [Corporate organization in American business and commerce was already well under way by the time Abraham Lincoln became president. But all the evidence from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-c-guelzo/corporate-organization-in-american-business-and-commerce-was-already/) [Allen C. Guelzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-c-guelzo/) > [Without the elected president and if there is a freak result, within two or three years, the army would have to come in and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/without-the-elected-president-and-if-there-is-a-freak-result-within/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [Abraham Lincoln is the guy who could never be elected today, but whom we desperately wish we could elect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/abraham-lincoln-is-the-guy-who-could-never-be-elected-today-but-whom/) [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/) > [“He bowed jokingly, and everyone laughed as Mrs.Anderson shook her head. "Did you even read the material?" "of course I did." "Who was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/he-bowed-jokingly-and-everyone-laughed-as-mrs-anderson-shook-her-head/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“Who was the leader of the North?” “Lincoln.” “No, he was the president.” “Yes, which means he was the fucking leader of everyone.” Mrs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/who-was-the-leader-of-the-north-lincoln-no-he-was-the-president-yes/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [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 > [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/) > [Abraham Lincoln is the guy who could never be elected today, but whom we desperately wish we could elect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/abraham-lincoln-is-the-guy-who-could-never-be-elected-today-but-whom/) [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": "The fact that Abraham Lincoln ever, ever became President is either a freak accident of history... or destiny; God's providence to America.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bill Oberst Jr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/the-fact-that-abraham-lincoln-ever-ever-became-president-is-either-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abraham" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/the-fact-that-abraham-lincoln-ever-ever-became-president-is-either-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/429/bill-oberst-jr-35340_abraham_the-fact-that-abraham-lincoln-ever-ever_302780.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/429/bill-oberst-jr-35340_abraham_the-fact-that-abraham-lincoln-ever-ever_302780.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/429/bill-oberst-jr-35340_abraham_the-fact-that-abraham-lincoln-ever-ever_302780.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The fact that Abraham Lincoln ever, ever became President is either a freak accident of history... or…” — 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": "The fact that Abraham Lincoln ever,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/the-fact-that-abraham-lincoln-ever-ever-became-president-is-either-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/the-fact-that-abraham-lincoln-ever-ever-became-president-is-either-a/#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 } } ] } ```