--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Lincoln, considering a Cabinet nominee…" description: "\"“Lincoln, considering a Cabinet nominee: \"He is a Radical without the petulance and fretfulness of many radicals.”\" — Doris Kearns Goodwin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbf/doris-kearns-goodwin-1951_attitude_lincoln-considering-a-cabinet-nominee-he_179157.png" --- # Lincoln, considering a Cabinet nominee: "He is a Radical… ![“Lincoln, considering a Cabinet nominee: "He is a Radical without the petulance and fretfulness of many radicals.” quote by Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbf/doris-kearns-goodwin-1951_attitude_lincoln-considering-a-cabinet-nominee-he_179157.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbf/doris-kearns-goodwin-1951_attitude_lincoln-considering-a-cabinet-nominee-he_179157.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbf/doris-kearns-goodwin-1951_attitude_lincoln-considering-a-cabinet-nominee-he_179157.png) > ““Lincoln, considering a Cabinet nominee: "He is a Radical without the petulance and fretfulness of many radicals.”” [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A radical can be effective without the typical petulance and fretfulness. **In simple terms:** Effective radicals stay calm and focused. Key Takeaway Recognize calm, purposeful change. Themes leadership politics radicalism temperament Mood analytical inspirational Type historical insightful When to use this quote - political campaigns - organizational reform - social movements Key Concepts strategic thinking character analysis Questions to Reflect On - What traits make a radical constructive? - How can calm influence inspire others? A Different Perspective Radicals may still face resistance despite calm demeanor. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) [Cabinet Nominee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cabinet-nominee-1921957/) [Compromise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromise/) [Idealism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idealism/) [Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lincoln/) [Lincoln Considering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lincoln-considering-1921955/) [Nominee Radical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nominee-radical-1921954/) [Radical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radical/) [Radical Petulance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radical-petulance-1921956/) ## Related quotes > [“And Lincoln, as would be evidenced throughout his presidency, was a master of timing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/and-lincoln-as-would-be-evidenced-throughout-his-presidency-was-a/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [“The ambition to establish a reputation worthy of the esteem of his fellows so that his story could be told after his death had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/the-ambition-to-establish-a-reputation-worthy-of-the-esteem-of-his/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [Lincoln had internalized the pain of those around him-the wounded soldiers, the captured prisoners, the defeated Southerners. Little wonder that he was overwhelmed at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/lincoln-had-internalized-the-pain-of-those-around-him-the-wounded/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [ They all start competing against Lincoln as the greatest president. 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He thinks he has become indispensable to the country… . He also thinks he ought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/chase-has-fallen-into-two-bad-habits-he-thinks-he-has-become/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [“As he had done so many times before, Lincoln withstood the storm of defeat by replacing anguish over an unchangeable past with hope in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/as-he-had-done-so-many-times-before-lincoln-withstood-the-storm-of/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [“By privately endorsing Seward’s spirit of compromise while projecting an unyielding public image, President-elect Lincoln retained an astonishing degree of control over an increasingly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/by-privately-endorsing-seward-s-spirit-of-compromise-while-projecting/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) ## More by Doris Kearns Goodwin > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [What I think I've learned is that you're never going to get it all right, and you can't obsess about having a fact wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/what-i-think-i-ve-learned-is-that-you-re-never-going-to-get-it-all/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [I wish we could go back to the time when the private lives of our public figures were relevant only if they directly affected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-wish-we-could-go-back-to-the-time-when-the-private-lives-of-our/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [People will love him (Theodore Roosevelt) for the enemies he has made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/people-will-love-him-theodore-roosevelt-for-the-enemies-he-has-made/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [“This extreme treatment was among the proliferating regimens developed in response to the stunning increase in nervous disorders diagnosed around the turn of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/this-extreme-treatment-was-among-the-proliferating-regimens-developed/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [“I could carve out of a banana a judge with more backbone than that,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-could-carve-out-of-a-banana-a-judge-with-more-backbone-than-that/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [“And Lincoln, as would be evidenced throughout his presidency, was a master of timing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/and-lincoln-as-would-be-evidenced-throughout-his-presidency-was-a/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [“Don’t hit till you have to; 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