Summary of Chapter Ten of TEAM OF RIVALS

Now that he had become president, Abraham Lincoln had to decide who his cabinet would consist of.

And by cabinet, I don't mean what clothes he would be wearing during his presidency. I mean who would be the secretary of state and other things like that.

When choosing members of his cabinet, Lincoln had three main people that he would choose to be on it. Those three people were Chase, Seward and Bates.

Well, you might be thinking something along the lines of, "Why in the world would he choose them?!" Well, when Lincoln was asked that same question, he replied better than I could explain it.

"We needed the strongest men of the party in the cabinet. We needed to hold our own people together. I had looked the party over and concluded that these people were the very strongest men. Then I had no right to deprive the country of their services."

It must be a weird party where the strongest people there are politicians.


NOTE: Chase, Seward and Bates all accepted.