Similarities and Differences of Barack Obama

and Abraham Lincoln

By Maxine Harvey of Methuen, age 12

As January 20th nears, I am looking forward to watching Barack

Obama make history. Throughout the campaign, reporters have
compared Barack Obama to the legendary Abraham Lincoln.
Those reporters should be just as lucky to live up to these wise
men’s standards.

Barack and Abraham have many wonderful qualities in common.

Both men came from the state of Illinois and are known for their
oratorical skills. They also have the physical features of being tall,
lanky men. They both have great insights into the world with
visions of hope. These qualities are the type of qualities that
make up an extraordinary human being.

Aside from their similarities, Barack and Abraham have their fair
share of differences. Barack is a black democrat and Abraham
was a white republican. Also, Barack will be the forty-forth
president of this country and Abraham was the sixteenth. Lastly,
Barack will enter the White House with two female children and
Abraham entered with two male children.

Many people have taken for granted what Abraham has done for
this country. Without Abraham and his act of ending slavery,
Barack would not have been allowed to even run for President.
When Barack takes the oath of office (on my birthday) I am proud
to know that he will continue the task of making this country a
better place.

“Peace does not appear as distant as it did. I hope it will come soon, and come to
stay; and so come as to be worth the keeping in all future time.”

-August 26th 1863. Abraham Lincoln