HOT FOR LINCOLN

HISTORICAL HOTTIE: ABRAHAM LINCOLN IN A PENSIVE MOMENT...BUT WEREN'T THEY ALL?

There are simply no two ways about it. We are hot for Lincoln. Yes, we know he's been dead for over a century and a half, and that even when he was alive, he was hardly the Brad Pitt of mid-19th century American society. On the other hand, there's a reason the 16th president of the United States continues to inspire so much passion and interest all these many years after his tragic demise at the hands of angry Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth. That reason is a combination of many things, of course. Lincoln was, without question, one of the most intelligent and complex men to ever hold the office of U.S. president. The mythology that surrounds his upbringing (humble origins, honesty at all costs, humanitarianism up the ying yang, etc) has become an axiomatic part of this nation's history. And, of course, the fact that his presidency was so intrinsicably intertwwined with the events of the Civil War lends a poignancy to his legacy which still resonates today. But, for our money (not that we have much of it), there is yet another component to the reason behind the contining and unabated interest in Abraham Lincoln as we wend our way slowly and surely through the second decade of the 21st century. In a word...Abraham Lincoln was freaking hot.

PRE-PUNK LINCOLN: BEFORE THE BEARD, THERE WAS CLEARLY SOME EXPERIMENTING GOING ON

From the moment this past summer when we first heard that Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" would be arriving in theaters on Nov. 8, we have been absolutely salivating to see what, according to most critics, is not only a riviting, impeccably crafted homage to the man behind the legend, but probably one of Daniel Day-Lewis' most compelling performances ever. Unlike most films about Lincoln, this latterday epic from the man who gave us "Saving Private Ryan" and "Schindler's List" purposely bypasses the fury and gore of battlefield scenes to focus on the final four months of Abraham Lincoln's life, which he spent simultaneously trying to pass the Emancipation Proclamation to abolish slavery and bring the war between the states to an end. Although we haven't had a chance to see it yet, if the reviews are on target, we have complete faith that, once we do, we will leave the theater with a refurbished passion for Abe.

ABE AND MARY: A MATCH MADE SOMEWHERE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF HEAVEN

But back to our long simmering love for the lanky 16th president of the United States. Despite the endless jibes our interest has garnered from friends and associates ("Lincoln? Really? Why?"), we maintain that the sexiest thing about a man...any man...is that ephemeral quality of uniqueness that he either has or he doesn't. Abraham Lincoln was, without question, unique. Brilliant, but folksy, he was not only a man of the people, he was a true humanitarian who seems to have been blessed...or cursed...with a sense of compassion that made it almost impossible for him to join the ranks of the career politicians who, in his day as well as ours, make a business out of politics. He was an admirer of women as well. His biographers have made it clear that Lincoln's "homely looks" didn't stop him from playing the field...or at least making a good attempt. His marriage to Mary Todd, who was, herself, not quite what one would call, a "beauty", endured mainly because the man knew how to accomodate a woman who was known forn her neediness and frequent temper tantrums, not to mention an out of control spending habit that her handlers had to work hard to keep under wraps from the American public. Yet, by all accounts, Lincoln went to great lengths to accomodate his wife's mood swings and crankiness, despite the fact that she once confided to a friend that had she not believed that her husband would become president one day, she would have never considered marrying him. Not that she was his first choice, either. Lincoln's first love, Ann Rutledge, died before he could marry her, and there is some evidence that he married Mary only after she became pregnant, having already broken their engagement once. Even after their marriage, Lincoln was a favorite among the ladies who came to the White House. No doubt that had a lot to do with his wit and gift for conversation, but the deep sadness that seemed to hang over him like an invisible shroud was surely a draw as well. There's just something about a smart, sweet, sad man that's simply irresistable to some women. Abraham Lincoln was the prototype.

BEHIND BLUE EYES: SAD AND SWEET AND POISED FOR THE AGES

Clearly, we could go on and on about Lincoln, but we'll leave it to the historians. Suffice it to say that we are hot for the man...and couldn't be happier that his legacy not only lives on, but is at present enjoying something of a restart. And as much as we love him, we don't even mind sharing him one bit. To paraphrase the man himself, you can fool some of the people all of the time, and you can fool all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool yourself into thinking you're the only one hot for Lincoln.