Why Lincoln Matters Today More Than Ever
Mario M. Cuomo

Former New York Governor Mario Cuomo, one of the most prominent figures in Democratic Party politics of the late 20^th century, has written several books since leaving office about his view of current American politics. In Why Lincoln Matters Today More Than Ever, he does so again, but this time through the lens of the past through the eyes of Abraham Lincoln.  Cuomo argues that while Lincoln died in 1865, the usefulness of his view of America is still very much alive. Cuomo sheds light both on how Lincoln developed and articulated his views and on how Lincoln’s view of society might be used to analyze current American political issues, including the war in Iraq.

How much the reader enjoys this book will depend on what he or she expects to find here. The title might suggest that Cuomo is offering a non-ideological general examination of Lincoln’s significance in modern decades in general. That reader might be disappointed in this book. But if the reader is looking for a book by an articulate, prominent liberal who knows and admires Lincoln and who applies what he believes are Lincoln's lessons about very specific political issues, then he or she will enjoy this book very much. Readers who’ve enjoyed Cuomo’s earlier analyses of American politics such as Reason To Believe will enjoy this book, too.

Like Reason To Believe, this book offers Cuomo’s view of current politics, but this book does so with an eye toward answering the question: what would Lincoln say about that?  Not surprisingly, Cuomo argues that Lincoln would agree with a modern liberal perspective on a wide range of issues facing America going into the 2004 presidential election. More importantly, he argues that President George W. Bush—like Lincoln, a Republican wartime president—has not operated according to Lincoln’s principles on a wide range of topics.  And, all the worse for Cuomo, where Bush has followed Lincoln’s lead, he’s done so on the issues where Lincoln didn’t proceed as Cuomo thought best—particularly in the efforts to curb civil liberties during wartime by both presidents.

The 2004 election, which Cuomo clearly had in mind when writing this book, was a notably polarizing one in the eyes of many. Partisan reaction to this book will almost certainly break down along the same lines.  What’s more, the issues discussed here are still very current today, as are the divisions.  Cuomo’s use of Lincoln in these debates may need to be taken with a grain of salt, but his command of Lincoln and strong ability as a writer means he makes his case very effectively for the most part. While this book will certainly provide ammunition for liberals in current American politics, it will also provide food for thought—or for argument—for people of all political stripes with an interest in the American politics of the past, present and future. More importantly, it is a fresh reminder of how enduring and relevant the views of Lincoln remain—a point on which both Democrats and Republicans for once can agree.