Quite a different 'team of rivals' at play in the White House these days

IN her 2005 book Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, American historian Doris Kearns Goodwin suggested that one of the reasons for President Lincoln's success as the statesman who led the nation to victory in the American Civil War was in bringing together in his Cabinet men who represented conflicting points of view, including those who challenged his policies.

Managing this "team of rivals" that included three politicians who ran against him in earlier presidential elections, President Lincoln was exposed to diverse opinions that helped him shape his policies. Members of his Cabinet would argue for days over the conduct of the Civil War. But then after successfully reconciling the conflicting personalities and political factions, it was President Lincoln who would make the final decisions and in so doing overriding the challenges from some of his closest aides.

Other US presidents have also tried to surround themselves with teams of advisers and Cabinet members that included powerful men with strong opinions who did not hesitate to question the policies of their boss in the White House, but who agreed that the president would have the last word and they had only two choices: Either accept his judgement and carry out his policies - or if they strongly disagree with them, to resign from office.