President-elect Barack Obama is more than a little obsessed with Abraham Lincoln. He announced his candidacy at the Old State Capitol in Springfield, where Lincoln delivered his “house divided” speech. He’s riding to his inauguration via train, just like Lincoln. He’s using Lincoln’s Bible for the swearing-in. He’s even going to eat the same food as Lincoln at the luncheon afterward. But how do Nos. 16 and 44 really stack up?
Height: Lincoln — 6-4; Obama — 6-1
Hat: Lincoln — stovepipe; Obama — White Sox cap
Both immortalized in song by: Neil Young (though, admittedly, the reference to Lincoln is to the car, not the president)
Education: Lincoln — less than a year of formal schooling, by his own account; Obama — Occidental College, Columbia University and Harvard Law School
Workout: Lincoln — splitting wood; Obama — basketball
Profession: Lawyer
Time served in the Illinois General Assembly: four terms (though Obama resigned during his fourth term to take his place in the U.S. Senate)
Ran for U.S. House of Representatives and: Lincoln — won; Obama — lost
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Ran for U.S. Senate and: Lincoln — lost; Obama — won
War opposed: Lincoln — Mexican-American; Obama — Iraq
Word choices: Obama’s keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic Convention used the words “liberty,” “equal” and “power” once apiece. Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address did the same.
*Both received honorary degrees from Knox College.
*Both married women whose names start with the letter “M.”
*The first four letters of “Barack” and “Abraham” can each be rearranged to spell the word “Arab.”