--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If Abraham Lincoln were alive now, he'd…" description: "\"“If Abraham Lincoln were alive now, he'd roll over in his grave.”\" — Gerald Ford" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b6/gerald-ford-62692_abraham-lincoln_if-abraham-lincoln-were-alive-now-he-d-r_2381.jpg" --- # If Abraham Lincoln were alive now, he'd roll over in his… ![“If Abraham Lincoln were alive now, he'd roll over in his grave.” quote by Gerald Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b6/gerald-ford-62692_abraham-lincoln_if-abraham-lincoln-were-alive-now-he-d-r_2381.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b6/gerald-ford-62692_abraham-lincoln_if-abraham-lincoln-were-alive-now-he-d-r_2381.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b6/gerald-ford-62692_abraham-lincoln_if-abraham-lincoln-were-alive-now-he-d-r_2381.jpg) > ““If Abraham Lincoln were alive now, he'd roll over in his grave.”” [Gerald Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-ford/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A critique that contemporary actions betray core values of a historic figure, implying moral decline. **In simple terms:** Current deeds clash with Lincoln's ideals. Key Takeaway Modern behavior can dishonor past legacies. Themes historical irony moral decay cultural critique political commentary Mood skeptical critical reflective Type aphor satire political commentary When to use this quote - political speeches - media commentary - social media debates Key Concepts legacy integrity societal standards Practical Applications - opinion pieces - educational curricula Questions to Reflect On - How do we measure fidelity to historical values? - What standards should guide modern reinterpretations of past icons? A Different Perspective Some argue that Lincoln's principles are timeless and adaptable, not a cause for such condemnation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“If Lincoln were alive today, he'd roll over in his grave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-ford/if-lincoln-were-alive-today-he-d-roll-over-in-his-grave/) [Gerald Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-ford/) > [If I weren't already dead, I'd have to kill myself just so I could roll over in my grave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-weren-t-already-dead-i-d-have-to-kill-myself-just-so-i-could/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If Lincoln were alive today, he'd be turning over in his grave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-r-ford/if-lincoln-were-alive-today-he-d-be-turning-over-in-his-grave/) [Gerald R. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-r-ford/) > [“Gerald Ford, one of the most admirable presidents of our time, once observed that if Lincoln were alive today, he’d be turning over in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/gerald-ford-one-of-the-most-admirable-presidents-of-our-time-once/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [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/) > [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/) > [I suppose I've been interested in Abraham Lincoln for almost as long as I can remember. My first Lincoln book was the Classics Illustrated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-c-guelzo/i-suppose-i-ve-been-interested-in-abraham-lincoln-for-almost-as-long/) [Allen C. Guelzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-c-guelzo/) > [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/) > [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/) > [I grew up in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, Harden County, which is not too far from the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-cameron/i-grew-up-in-elizabethtown-kentucky-harden-county-which-is-not-too/) [Daniel Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-cameron/) > [“Most people,” Abraham Lincoln said, “are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-lickona/most-people-abraham-lincoln-said-are-about-as-happy-as-they-make-up/) [Thomas Lickona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-lickona/) > [“What is to be, will be, and no prayers of ours can arrest the decree.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/what-is-to-be-will-be-and-no-prayers-of-ours-can-arrest-the-decree/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [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 Gerald Ford > [“If Lincoln were alive today, he'd roll over in his grave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-ford/if-lincoln-were-alive-today-he-d-roll-over-in-his-grave/) [Gerald Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-ford/) > [“I've had a lot of experience with people smarter than I am.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-ford/i-ve-had-a-lot-of-experience-with-people-smarter-than-i-am/) [Gerald Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-ford/) > [“Things are more like they are now than they have ever been. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-ford/things-are-more-like-they-are-now-than-they-have-ever-been/) [Gerald Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-ford/) > [“My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over. Our constitution works.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-ford/my-fellow-americans-our-long-national-nightmare-is-over-our-2/) [Gerald Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-ford/) [Explore all 5 Gerald Ford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-ford/) ## More Abraham lincoln quotes > [Remember that Abraham Lincoln was a Whig far longer than he was a Republican. As a whole, the Whigs looked upon banks and corporations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-c-guelzo/remember-that-abraham-lincoln-was-a-whig-far-longer-than-he-was-a/) [Allen C. Guelzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-c-guelzo/) > [“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/) > [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/) > [“What is to be, will be, and no prayers of ours can arrest the decree.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/what-is-to-be-will-be-and-no-prayers-of-ours-can-arrest-the-decree/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“If you attend a meeting of evolutionary biologists somewhere in America, you might be lucky and spot a tall, gray-whiskered, smiling man bearing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-ridley/if-you-attend-a-meeting-of-evolutionary-biologists-somewhere-in/) [Matt Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-ridley/) > [Men like Abraham Lincoln recognized that if the slaveholders were not stopped, it would only be a question of time until they spread their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-cox-richardson/men-like-abraham-lincoln-recognized-that-if-the-slaveholders-were-not/) [Heather Cox Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-cox-richardson/) > [“Most people,” Abraham Lincoln said, “are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-lickona/most-people-abraham-lincoln-said-are-about-as-happy-as-they-make-up/) [Thomas Lickona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-lickona/) > [Abraham Lincoln did not contend that his actions were immune from Congressional correction; on the contrary, he specifically said he was acting beyond the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lee-miller/abraham-lincoln-did-not-contend-that-his-actions-were-immune-from/) [William Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lee-miller/) > [I grew up in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, Harden County, which is not too far from the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-cameron/i-grew-up-in-elizabethtown-kentucky-harden-county-which-is-not-too/) [Daniel Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-cameron/) > [“Abraham Lincoln struck off the chains of black Americans, but it was Lyndon Johnson who led them into voting booths, closed democracy’s sacred curtain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/abraham-lincoln-struck-off-the-chains-of-black-americans-but-it-was/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [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/) > [I must have missed school the day we learned about Abraham Lincoln being a vampire slayer...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-must-have-missed-school-the-day-we-learned-about-abraham-lincoln/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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 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/) > [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/) Browse all 238 Abraham lincoln quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If Abraham Lincoln were alive now, he'd roll over in his grave.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gerald Ford" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-ford/if-abraham-lincoln-were-alive-now-he-d-roll-over-in-his-grave/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abraham lincoln" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-ford/if-abraham-lincoln-were-alive-now-he-d-roll-over-in-his-grave/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b6/gerald-ford-62692_abraham-lincoln_if-abraham-lincoln-were-alive-now-he-d-r_2381.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b6/gerald-ford-62692_abraham-lincoln_if-abraham-lincoln-were-alive-now-he-d-r_2381.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b6/gerald-ford-62692_abraham-lincoln_if-abraham-lincoln-were-alive-now-he-d-r_2381.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If Abraham Lincoln were alive now, he'd roll over in his grave.” — Gerald Ford", "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": "Gerald Ford", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-ford/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If Abraham Lincoln were alive now,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-ford/if-abraham-lincoln-were-alive-now-he-d-roll-over-in-his-grave/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-ford/if-abraham-lincoln-were-alive-now-he-d-roll-over-in-his-grave/#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 } } ] } ```