Historians and Presidential Elections
If you haven't yet voted, drop everything and go!
I’ll interrupt today’s planned post on the research I’m doing into women who emigrated from Ireland and took up land grants in Mexican Texas in 1833-1834 to say a bit about historians and presidential elections. It often feels like historians have no real role in society but of course, that’s not true. We can have a huge influence on the present and the future.
Doris Kearns Goodwin, one of America’s most celebrated historians, has left a profound mark on the way we view US presidents, their administrations, and leadership in times of crisis. Her work, particularly Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, resonated deeply with former President Barack Obama, influencing not only his understanding of presidential power but also shaping his approach to governance. This relationship between historian and statesman exemplifies how history can inform contemporary politics and offers a compelling look at how Goodwin's scholarship helped Obama define his presidency.
Team of Rivals explores how Abraham Lincoln, a leader who faced unprecedented national division, filled his cabinet with some of his fiercest political opponents. This strategic decision allowed Lincoln to tap into a broader range of ideas and talents, enabling him to navigate the Civil War while maintaining loyalty to his principles. Goodwin’s portrayal of Lincoln’s leadership style captivated Obama, who read the book during his 2008 presidential campaign. He found in Lincoln’s story a model for how to bring together a diverse coalition that could transcend partisan lines—a message that aligned with his own campaign’s focus on unity and hope.
Get Team of Rivals at Bookshop.org (no affiliate links—just a recommendation)
When Obama won the presidency, he applied this lesson from Team of Rivals by appointing former political adversary Hillary Clinton as his Secretary of State. This appointment sent a powerful signal that Obama, like Lincoln, was willing to work with those who had once opposed him for the sake of national unity and progress. Goodwin’s scholarship provided Obama with a historical precedent that reassured him such an approach could work. His decision was widely viewed as a strategic move that demonstrated Obama’s commitment to inclusivity and his recognition of the value of different perspectives within his administration.
Goodwin's influence on Obama went beyond just one book or appointment. Her broader work on presidential leadership—exploring how past presidents navigated moments of national crisis, dealt with public expectations, and led with empathy—also helped inform Obama’s approach to leadership. Goodwin’s other writings, such as her work on Franklin D. Roosevelt, emphasized resilience, adaptability, and the necessity of confronting hard truths to address the country's most pressing issues. Obama, facing the 2008 financial crisis upon entering office, found resonance in these themes. Just as FDR had reassured Americans and enacted sweeping reforms during the Great Depression, Obama communicated his plans for recovery, borrowing a page from Goodwin’s portrayal of FDR’s strategy of calm, steady leadership.
Goodwin’s writings remind us that great leaders often look to history for guidance, using the past as a tool to understand the challenges of the present. Obama’s admiration for Goodwin’s work reveals his own respect for history as a source of wisdom and as a lens through which to evaluate his decisions. He frequently acknowledged the importance of understanding the larger historical arc when considering his actions as president, a view that aligns closely with Goodwin’s approach to studying leadership.
Today, in a nation so divided, it’s good to know that there are some people who think in terms of calm, steady leadership. Let us hope for an election like 1800, when the reigns of power passed peacefully.