As new Spielberg movie approaches, some aren't excited

TYLER — Let's face it...at first glance, Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" looks pretty epic.

But many feel there are 2 Abe's -- the one history has recorded as being legendary...the other...some historians believe was a terrible commander and chief and an even worse human being -- with rumors of misstresses and a bad case of syphilis!

Tammy Blair with the Tyler Tea Party has never been much of a Lincoln fan...even less so now that she's reading a controversial book on his life called "The Real Lincoln" that claims he really wasn't morally in support of freeing the slaves...it was all politics.

"He did it as a war measure...nothing else.  He had no interest in freeing the slaves as he stated many times publically," Blair said.

Local historian and Civil War expert Randy Gilbert thinks differently.  He considers him one of the top 5 greatest presidents...but he does believe his stance on slavery was not an emotional one.

"Oh it was clearly political, it was basically...the north was losing the war..." Gilbert said.

Blair tells KETK, she believes Lincoln's presidency led to the problems our nation is facing now...

"That opened the door for Wilson and F.D.R...and Lyndon Johnson to further grow the government and allow the government to do more and more things that are simply not constitutional...and they're leading to oppression," Blair said.

"Prior to 1861, you would have referred to the United States in plural...the United States ARE...as opposed to after that time, you established the concept of a single nation and you would say the United States IS," Gilbert said.

We may never know what Lincoln was really like...so you either love him...

"He was folksy, he had a wonderful sense of humor...and he was a most interesting person," Gilbert said.

Or hate him...

"The people who win the war write the history books," Blair said.