CHICAGO (AP) - "I cannot swallow whole the view of Lincoln as the Great Emancipator," Obama said. "As a law professor and civil rights lawyer and as an African-American, I am fully aware of his limited views on race. Anyone who actually reads the Emancipation Proclamation knows it was more a military document than a clarion call for justice."
And as for what Lincoln may have thought about Obama's election to the Senate in 2004?
"He may not have dreamed of that exact outcome. But I like to believe he would have appreciated the irony," Obama said.
Lincoln was no advocate for civil rights, as he's made out to be in modern history. He was quite racist as many in the north were at the time. He never dreamed a Negro would ever be elected to the US Senate, so Obama certainly has this right. It's just funny to hear, I suppose. The funny thing is the only reason he's allowed to say something like that is the fact that he IS black. If this was any other white man (except many a prominent Democrat), he would receive critisism for his comments. Personally, I have nothing to say critical of his remarks. I just like pointing out difference in historical perspective...