---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Lincoln had no such person that he could…"
description: "\"Lincoln had no such person that he could talk with. Often, as a result, he debated with himself, and he would draw up a kind of list of the pros and co..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/david-herbert-donald-27496_argument_lincoln-had-no-such-person-that-he-could_2253663.jpg"
---

#  Lincoln had no such person that he could talk with. Often…

![“Lincoln had no such person that he could talk with. Often, as a result, he debated with himself, and he would draw up a kind of list of the pros and cons of an argument, and carefully figure them out, and he might test them in public.” quote by David Herbert Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/david-herbert-donald-27496_argument_lincoln-had-no-such-person-that-he-could_2253663.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/david-herbert-donald-27496_argument_lincoln-had-no-such-person-that-he-could_2253663.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/david-herbert-donald-27496_argument_lincoln-had-no-such-person-that-he-could_2253663.jpg)

> “Lincoln had no such person that he could talk with. Often, as a result, he debated with himself, and he would draw up a kind of list of the pros and cons of an argument, and carefully figure them out, and he might test them in public.”

[David Herbert Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-herbert-donald/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Lincoln compensated for a lack of confidants by self‑debating, using pros‑cons lists to refine his public arguments.

**In simple terms:** Lincoln debated with himself to test ideas.

Key Takeaway

Use self‑dialogue to clarify decisions.

Themes

leadership self‑reflection decision making

Mood

analytical thoughtful

Type

historical leadership

When to use this quote

- policy formulation
- personal decision making
- public speaking preparation

Key Concepts

internal debate argument analysis

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you test your ideas against others?
- When should you seek external counsel?

A Different Perspective

Self‑debate can become echo‑chamber without external feedback.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Argument Carefully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument-carefully-5157724/) [Cons Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cons-argument-5157725/) [Debated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debated/) [Draws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draws/) [Figures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figures/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lincoln/) [Lincoln Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lincoln-person-3982400/) [Lists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lists/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Pros and cons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pros-and-cons/) [Result Debated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/result-debated-5157726/) [Results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/results/) [Tests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tests/)

## Related quotes

> [“God, Lincoln believed, is seen more clearly events that in nature, though He maybe seen there also. It is a majestic thing, thought Lincoln,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/god-lincoln-believed-is-seen-more-clearly-events-that-in-nature/)

[Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/)

> [Of course I had written a film about Elizabeth I, and I loved the Tudor period, and I think at the time Working Title…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hirst/of-course-i-had-written-a-film-about-elizabeth-i-and-i-loved-the/)

[Michael Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hirst/)

> [The network and local TV angle of broadcast television has received a black eye for not properly debating within the news issues that should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-e-hyman/the-network-and-local-tv-angle-of-broadcast-television-has-received-a/)

[Mark E. Hyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-e-hyman/)

> [“thousands of people. She debated her opponent on National Public Radio and found herself in the center”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-jenkins/thousands-of-people-she-debated-her-opponent-on-national-public-radio/)

[Henry Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-jenkins/)

> [Wall Street is a huge issue. And it's controlling our lives today with this so-called election - we really have no choice. We're really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/wall-street-is-a-huge-issue-and-it-s-controlling-our-lives-today-with/)

[Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/)

> [Religion is constantly being talked about, debated, pondered, worried about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hayes/religion-is-constantly-being-talked-about-debated-pondered-worried/)

[Sean Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hayes/)

> [When I was in politics, I debated a Nobel Prize-winning economist, climate change activists, governors, senators, congressmen. I debated anybody on an issue I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-cain/when-i-was-in-politics-i-debated-a-nobel-prize-winning-economist/)

[Will Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-cain/)

> [The only way to conduct an effective collaboration is to debate the things upon which you disagree. If one doesn't manage to bring the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-golden/the-only-way-to-conduct-an-effective-collaboration-is-to-debate-the/)

[Christopher Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-golden/)

> [At the Oxford Union I'd never debated before but I gave it a go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-gyimah/at-the-oxford-union-i-d-never-debated-before-but-i-gave-it-a-go/)

[Sam Gyimah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-gyimah/)

> [I debated between law school and divinity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/i-debated-between-law-school-and-divinity/)

[Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/)

> [Throughout the early and mid-1990s, the Clinton administration debated the merits of paying for AIDS testing and counseling of vulnerable populations overseas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/throughout-the-early-and-mid-1990s-the-clinton-administration-debated/)

[Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/)

> [I can't do a film after having debated it. I am unable to do a film while discussing it with my team. I issue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/i-can-t-do-a-film-after-having-debated-it-i-am-unable-to-do-a-film/)

[Hayao Miyazaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayao-miyazaki/)

> [The age of the Earth is a hotly debated issue among evangelicals. Old Earthers believe, like most scientists, that the universe is billions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-geisler/the-age-of-the-earth-is-a-hotly-debated-issue-among-evangelicals-old/)

[Norman Geisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-geisler/)

> [If what you're asking is how I debated whether or not to love her the answer is I didn't. Not at all. It just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/if-what-you-re-asking-is-how-i-debated-whether-or-not-to-love-her-the/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [I've gone from the most trusted man in America to one of the most debated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/i-ve-gone-from-the-most-trusted-man-in-america-to-one-of-the-most/)

[Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/)

## More by David Herbert Donald

> [Maybe I will write a memoir, perhaps I'll do some essays, or maybe I will write a mystery story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-herbert-donald/maybe-i-will-write-a-memoir-perhaps-i-ll-do-some-essays-or-maybe-i/)

[David Herbert Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-herbert-donald/)

> [In Lincoln's day a President's religion was a very private affair. There were no public prayer meetings, no attempts to woo the Religious Right.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-herbert-donald/in-lincoln-s-day-a-president-s-religion-was-a-very-private-affair/)

[David Herbert Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-herbert-donald/)

> [But I have tried to go over it very carefully, not merely what the evidence is, but with psychoanalysts and psychologists, and I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-herbert-donald/but-i-have-tried-to-go-over-it-very-carefully-not-merely-what-the/)

[David Herbert Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-herbert-donald/)

> [“Lincoln's Gettysburg Address was 272 words and he delivered it under three minutes. He labored on it for days. The "featured speaker," Edward Everett,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-herbert-donald/lincoln-s-gettysburg-address-was-272-words-and-he-delivered-it-under/)

[David Herbert Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-herbert-donald/)

> [And, finally, Lincoln was not a good impromptu speaker; he was at his best when he could read from a carefully prepared manuscript. Though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-herbert-donald/and-finally-lincoln-was-not-a-good-impromptu-speaker-he-was-at-his/)

[David Herbert Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-herbert-donald/)

> [Well, it seems to me Lincoln, I suppose, is kind of a model of a particular sort of presidency, a presidency that first of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-herbert-donald/well-it-seems-to-me-lincoln-i-suppose-is-kind-of-a-model-of-a/)

[David Herbert Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-herbert-donald/)

> [“Sumner’s mind keeping the peace abroad was connected with freeing the slaves at home. Repeatedly he tried to convince Lincoln that by issuing an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-herbert-donald/sumner-s-mind-keeping-the-peace-abroad-was-connected-with-freeing-the/)

[David Herbert Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-herbert-donald/)

> [The more I have studied Lincoln, the more I have followed his thought processes, the more I am convinced that he understood leadership better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-herbert-donald/the-more-i-have-studied-lincoln-the-more-i-have-followed-his-thought/)

[David Herbert Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-herbert-donald/)

> [At the beginning, Lincoln was so inexperienced he had reverence for military expertise, not realizing that there wasn't any military expertise, that the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-herbert-donald/at-the-beginning-lincoln-was-so-inexperienced-he-had-reverence-for/)

[David Herbert Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-herbert-donald/)

> [I love mysteries, and I read them every night before I go to bed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-herbert-donald/i-love-mysteries-and-i-read-them-every-night-before-i-go-to-bed/)

[David Herbert Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-herbert-donald/)

> [Lincoln was not a good impromptu speaker; he was at his best when he could read from a carefully prepared manuscript, though maybe a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-herbert-donald/lincoln-was-not-a-good-impromptu-speaker-he-was-at-his-best-when-he/)

[David Herbert Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-herbert-donald/)

> [I think, with the gay liberation movement has had need for heroes and heroines, and it would be rather nice to have Abraham Lincoln…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-herbert-donald/i-think-with-the-gay-liberation-movement-has-had-need-for-heroes-and/)

[David Herbert Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-herbert-donald/)

> [I was able to sit at Lincoln's side and see how he thought and how he acted, and how he felt about what was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-herbert-donald/i-was-able-to-sit-at-lincoln-s-side-and-see-how-he-thought-and-how-he/)

[David Herbert Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-herbert-donald/)

> [If you think about it, the historian's task is like that of the detective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-herbert-donald/if-you-think-about-it-the-historian-s-task-is-like-that-of-the/)

[David Herbert Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-herbert-donald/)

> [The big biography of Lincoln necessarily had to do so much with his political career, his ambitions, his accomplishments in public, with less time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-herbert-donald/the-big-biography-of-lincoln-necessarily-had-to-do-so-much-with-his/)

[David Herbert Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-herbert-donald/)

[Explore all 20 David Herbert Donald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-herbert-donald/)

## More Argument quotes

> [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/)

[Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/)

> [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/)

[Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/)

> [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/)

[John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/)

> [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/)

[Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/)

> [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/)

[Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/)

> [On the stage, the characters express themselves more through words than images. So the arguments of the characters and the tension between characters -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/on-the-stage-the-characters-express-themselves-more-through-words/)

[Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/)

> [One argument goes that recessions are good for female artists because when money flies out the window, women are allowed in the house. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/one-argument-goes-that-recessions-are-good-for-female-artists-because/)

[Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/)

> [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/)

[Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/)

> [“Arguments led by subjectivity are a waste of time. And, if they take place online, add to that, a waste of one’s keyboard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/arguments-led-by-subjectivity-are-a-waste-of-time-and-if-they-take/)

[Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/)

> [If in the middle of an argument I suddenly fall silent it does not mean you have won... No it means you should probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/if-in-the-middle-of-an-argument-i-suddenly-fall-silent-it-does-not/)

[Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/)

> [Don't get divorced after your first argument! I have a lot of friends that have one fight and that's it, they get divorced. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ripa/don-t-get-divorced-after-your-first-argument-i-have-a-lot-of-friends/)

[Kelly Ripa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ripa/)

> [“The motive behind my arguments have always been to come at truth. I am not interested in conquering anyone with my ideologies or seeking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-evans/the-motive-behind-my-arguments-have-always-been-to-come-at-truth-i-am/)

[Crystal Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-evans/)

> [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/)

[John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/)

[Browse all 3,479 Argument quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Lincoln had no such person that he could talk with. Often, as a result, he debated with himself, and he would draw up a kind of list of the pros and cons of an argument, and carefully figure them out, and he might test them in public.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Herbert Donald"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-herbert-donald/lincoln-had-no-such-person-that-he-could-talk-with-often-as-a-result/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Argument"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-herbert-donald/lincoln-had-no-such-person-that-he-could-talk-with-often-as-a-result/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/david-herbert-donald-27496_argument_lincoln-had-no-such-person-that-he-could_2253663.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/david-herbert-donald-27496_argument_lincoln-had-no-such-person-that-he-could_2253663.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/david-herbert-donald-27496_argument_lincoln-had-no-such-person-that-he-could_2253663.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Lincoln had no such person that he could talk with. Often, as a result, he debated with himself, and he…” — David Herbert Donald",
                "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": "David Herbert Donald",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-herbert-donald/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Lincoln had no such person that...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-herbert-donald/lincoln-had-no-such-person-that-he-could-talk-with-often-as-a-result/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-herbert-donald/lincoln-had-no-such-person-that-he-could-talk-with-often-as-a-result/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
