Although Lincoln comes across very well in the movie -- Tony Kushner's thoughtful screenplay clearly sees the fight for the 13th amendment to be the brightest spot amid many dark ones on the ex-president's legacy.
For instance, while the movie suggests that Lincoln had no personal hatred directed at black people, and passionately spoke out against slavery, he was not fully committed to principles of equality and was in fact the right of many members of his own party when it came to African-Americans.
This is deftly illustrated in the persona of Thaddeus Stevens, fantastically played by Tommy Lee Jones. He might as well have been the Bernie Sanders of his day. A purist, who became infamous for openly and unapologetically advocating for true equality for people of color, including the vote. He was the dean of the so-called "radical Republicans" who sought to codify emancipation into settled law when Lincoln was at the peak of his powers following re-election and the inevitable conclusion of the Civil War.
Lincoln had plenty of advisors in his ear urging him to avoid a big legislative fight and to table the issue of slavery in order to ensure a smoother transition into his second term, but the president was on the right side of history (on this one) and recognized that if slavery wasn't truly abolished the war would have been fought for nothing.
Stevens and his cohort had every reason to be suspicious of Lincoln and his intentions, after all Lincoln had not been above espousing racist beliefs for political expediency and had freed the slaves less on principle but as a part of military strategy.
And yet, Stevens wouldn't dispel a willingness to be "surprised" by Lincoln. Watching the film today, it got me thinking about Joe Biden.
If we have a fair election this November -- and at this point that is a huge IF -- Joe Biden is the overwhelming favorite to win. Not unlike with Lincoln, people to his left -- given his track record and deeply skeptical that he could or would deliver on much of the issues that they believe in, while acknowledging that he is superior to the alternative.
That however, presumes that Biden is incapable of surprising us with a position or a piece of legislation and I simply refuse to be that pessimistic.
Like Lincoln, Biden has shown some capacity to evolve -- not as rapidly as I'd hope and not on every issue I'd want him to -- but he hasn't voted the exact same way is entire life nor has he proven to be incapable of admitting when he's been wrong.
That doesn't mean he won't be or can't be a colossal disappointment as president, but I do think it means he doesn't have to be.
Stevens was willing to eat a little crow -- he downplayed his belief in the equality of African-Americans at a crucial moment in order to assure the passage of the 13th amendment -- to serve the larger cause of winning freedom for black people. Meanwhile, Lincoln made good on his promise -- shepherding the bill through Congress under much duress.
The movie shows that this duress was not entirely ethical or legal -- Lincoln's minions traded patronage positions in his administration in exchange for votes -- but it proved the president was willing to take considerable risk to achieve a worthy goal.
In totality, the movie makes the case for Lincoln's 'greatness' if not as a human being, than as a political, historical figure. All presidents want to achieve a similar stature in our collective memory. But what Trump has never understood and when I believe Biden does, is that requires defying expectations of both your own voters and the nation writ large.
As maddening and dangerous as Trump's presidency has been, it hasn't necessarily been about taking risks. Everything he has said and done has been designed to appeal to a very vocal minority of this country. He has no big transformative policy proposals and he isn't interested in the arc of history. He simply wants instant gratification, and so in many ways he is the anti-Lincoln.
Joe Biden could enter office as a bit of blank slate. He's viewed appropriately as a moderate, someone looking to not make waves -- even when waves are absolutely necessary. But I still believe he has the capacity to surprise us and can be pushed, as Lincoln was, to make the right decisions. And that does give me something to be hopeful about.
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