Unjust Criticism Directed Toward a President

“Telling it like it is” will certainly bring forth enormous amounts of censure and criticism from all directions. But every man of courage must, sooner or later, deal with unjust criticism. And all individuals who lead other people, especially those who enter the political arena, likely will be subjected to severe criticism as well as personal attacks on their honor and character. This president realized this fact of life and was prepared for it, as every leader should be.

This president was slandered, libeled, and hated perhaps more intensely than any man ever to run for the nation’s highest office. He won the election largely because the Democratic Party was in a state of chaos. However, most of the nation could not comprehend how this man, with no political experience, had been elected president.
He was publicly called just about every name imaginable by the press, including a coarse vulgar joker, a dictator, a buffoon, and others. One member of the press labeled him “the craftiest and most dishonest politician that ever disgraced an office in America.” One can only imagine what it must have been like and what was going through his mind when he reached Washington to take the oath of office.
Severe and unjust criticism did not subside after this president took the oath of office, nor did it come only from the Democrats. It came from his own cabinet and from Congress who sought to impeach the president, accusing him of bribery and overstepping his constitutional authority. As president, he learned that no matter what he did, there were going to be people who would not be pleased.

Throughout most of his life, this president was the object of criticism, jealousy, envy, and malice. This was largely the result of his burning desire for achievement and success, which motivated him to excel. People whom he surpassed in his advancement naturally vented their jealous emotions against him through verbal attacks against his character.
In his term as president, he endured all of the cruel antagonism and severe criticism directed at him. And the fact is, he not only endured the slander but overcame it to make the military stronger, expand the limits of presidential authority, improve the economy, and renew the spirit of patriotism in America.

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This was sent to us by Battle Creek artist and entrepreneur Richard Schlatter who won ArtPrize for his creation of "A. Lincoln" and who also created the giant portrait of Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Battle Creek Police headquarters.   Always one to stand back and look for a different take on things, Dick came across the above words and shared them with us.

"One would think I am describing our 45th president, Donald Trump. However, the words above, are from “Lincoln on Leadership” by Donald T. Phillips, describing our 16th president. Lincoln’s stubbornness and his will to win prevailed, which saved our country and ultimately cost him his life."
—Richard Schlatter

Download or buy the book, "Lincoln on Leadership."  Amazon has it for Kindle, for $9.99, or you can buy a hard copy.