‘That Lincoln,
after winning the presidency, made the unprecedented decision to incorporate
his eminent rivals into his political family, the cabinet, was evidence of a
profound self-confidence and a first indication of what would prove to others a
most unexpected greatness… Every member of this administration was better
known, better educated, and more experienced in public life than Lincoln. Their
presence in the cabinet might have threatened to eclipse the obscure prairie
lawyer from Springfield. It soon became clear, however, that Abraham Lincoln
would emerge the undisputed captain of this most unusual cabinet, truly a team
of rivals. The powerful competitors who
had originally disdained Lincoln became colleagues who helped him steer the
country through its darkest days.’
- Doris Kearns Goodwin
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