The book’s moral is that it pays to have principles, even in politics. One may lose a score of elections because of principles, but in the end, should one ever be elected, it will be thanks to them principles. And if one is never elected, then at least one can console oneself with the thought that at least one has been true to one’s principles. Staying loyal to principles is the winning strategy—as long as one does not mind a chance of being slightly killed because of them.
Oddly, the book’s author constantly hedges, as if scared of being accused of complicity in Lincoln’s lack of clairvoyance or of being held accountable for Lincoln’s refusal to pander to the sensibilities of modern book-reading audiences.
Meacham purveys facts. He does not bring debates about ideas to life. In his narrative, ideas are dogmas. Some dogmas win, some lose. Thanks to Lincoln’s dogmatism, the deserving dogma has won.