Daily Dialogue — January 4, 2019

Abraham Lincoln: Abolishing slavery by constitutional provisions settles the fate for all coming time. Not only of the millions now in bondage, but of unborn millions to come. Two votes stand in its way. These votes must be procured.
William Seward: We need two yeses. Three abstentions. Four yeses and one more abstention and the amendment will pass.
Abraham Lincoln: You’ve got a night and a day and a night; several perfectly good hours! Now get the hell out of here and get them!
James Ashley: Yes. But how?
Abraham Lincoln: Buzzard’s guts, man! I am the President of the United States of America! Clothed in immense power! You will procure me these votes.

— Lincoln (2012), screenplay by Tony Kushner, book by Doris Kearns Goodwin

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Politics.

Trivia: Steven Spielberg told a preview audience in Manhattan that screenwriter Tony Kushner spent about six years working on the movie. Originally, it was conceived of as a biography film exploring Abraham Lincoln’s entire life story, but eventually was whittled down to the events surrounding the passage of the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery in the U.S. detailed in Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book “Team of Rivals”.

Dialogue On Dialogue: One of many great moments in this movie. This is rough politics, but for a just cause.