There are only a couple of political figures that I consider heroes. Washington for stepping into the breach when leadership was critically needed to build this country and Lincoln for doing the same to salvage the Union. Reading what historical accounts say about them makes it clear that my hero worship was not shared by their contemporaries. This piece is an effort to give a sense of the calumny leveled against Lincoln from all sides while he was trying to save this country. Elizabeth Cady Stanton is the female referenced who vowed to run away to Fiji if Lincoln was reelected. The Gettysburg Address is the speech called "silly" by then-contemporary newsmen. Sadly, journalistic judgment has progressed little in over 150 years. "Dixie" was a song he said he loved.