Abraham lincoln Quote by Robert Coles
““Abraham Lincoln did not go to Gettysburg having commissioned a poll to find out what would sell in Gettysburg. There were no people with percentages for him, cautioning him about this group or that group or what they found in exit polls a year earlier. When will we have the courage of Lincoln?””
About This Quote
Lincoln’s leadership was guided by principle, not polling; modern leaders need similar courage to act beyond data.
In simple terms: Lincoln acted without poll data.
Key Takeaway
Lead with conviction, not just numbers.
Themes
leadership
courage
principles
Mood
inspirational
thoughtful
Type
historical
political
When to use this quote
- government decision‑making
- ethical leadership
- public policy
Key Concepts
history
political science
Questions to Reflect On
- How can values and data coexist?
- What risks arise from ignoring public opinion?
A Different Perspective
Data‑driven approaches can improve outcomes.
![“[T]he only thing wrong with Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address was that it was the South, not the North, that was fighting for a government of the people, by the people and for the people.” quote by H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b4e/h-l-mencken-245_abraham_t-he-only-thing-wrong-with-abraham-linco_1672393.jpg)
![“My movies more often are told through pictures, not words. But in this case, the pictures took second position to the incredible words of Abraham Lincoln and his presence [...] I was less interested in an outpouring of imagery than in letting the most human moment of this story evolve before us.” quote by Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/be7/steven-spielberg-963_abraham_my-movies-more-often-are-told-through-pi_136993.jpg)