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The Great Comeback: How Abraham Lincoln Beat the Odds to Win the 1860 Republican Nomination

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Gary Ecelbarger succeeds in crafting a well-written tome that captures Lincoln's effort to obtain the Republican nomination for the 1860 Presidential election. Although just defeated by Stephen Douglass in the 1858 Senatorial contest, Lincoln quickly laid the groundwork for his presidential campaign that changed the nation. Mr. Ecelbarger writes in a smooth, descriptive manner that creates vivid images in the mind of the reader. We not only learn about the when, where and why of Lincoln's political journey but actually feel as if we were part of the campaign that led to Lincoln's nomination.

Gary Ecelbarger brings alive a fascinating little-studied chapter in Lincoln's much-documented life: the 16 months from January 1859, following his devastating senate loss to Stephen Douglas, to May 18, 1860 when he emerged from a field of popular front-runners to capture the Republican Party nomination and set the scene for his election to the presidency. This is an engrossing book -- and an especially timely one during this election year and the Lincoln Bicentennial. I highly recommend it.

How Abraham Lincoln Beat the Odds to Win the 1860 Republican Nomination?

Does the Great Comeback answer this Question? This work is a very pleasing narrative about Lincoln's life from his losing to Stephen A. Douglas in 1858 for the Illinois Senate Race up to his nomination for the Republican Party nominee for President of the United States in 1860. Who organized the Lincoln Campaign? How was Abraham Lincoln sold to the public? How did Lincoln depict himself to the public and how did he want to be perceived? Lincoln was a successful criminal lawyer. Lincoln also made public speeches for fee. It is the latter that he used to sell himself. Lincoln argued against the expansion of Slavery to other territories. The front runner, for the Republican nomination, Seward was an abolitionist. Lincoln speeches did not argue against Seward's position but Douglas' position on popular sovereignty. Douglas the eventual Democratic nominee only was the likely nominee when Lincoln campaign for the nomination. Lincoln also made a speech about the poor economics of slave labor as oppose to free labor. These speeches were made in several states up north and one in the Kansas territory. These speeches were published in several newspapers outside Illinois and the geographic area made including the southern states.

To a lesser extent except convention week, the book deals with inside politics: The organizing of campaign workers and delegates. There is some discussion of how Lincoln tried to keep himself above the fray between egos in the party. Important items were getting the convention to be held in Chicago. Which was important that popular support of the area could come to their aid? The placement where delegates were sitted: limit Seward's New York handler's ability to cajole delegates. Lincoln's handlers had negotiations between the State delegations that eventually gave Lincoln the nomination on the Third ballot. This book will bring some insight to the United States chose their leader who eventually led the Union.

This is a unique look at Lincoln, one that shows us how he took his first steps to becoming president, how he turned his career around, how he rose from dark horse candidate to the presidential nominations. It also provides a great look at "back room" politics of the time. A new and often overlooked chapter in the history of this legendary president!

To preface this review, I have not yet finished this book. My total enjoyment of it thus far has warranted my review in the hope that more people will read this book. This book is difficult to get at a bookstore, as it is very under the radar. Nevertheless, it is superb. Rarely in history classes or books can you get such a comprehensive and complete examination of such a specific event in history. This book accomplishes this offering much information you won't learn elsewhere. Being very interested in Lincoln and the time period in which he lived, this book was right on. This is a must read for anyone interested in Lincoln or simply in the political arena that gave birth to the Republican party. Highly recommended.