Is This Man The Founder Of The Republican Party?

-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

Not quite. The Republican Party was founded in 1854 by a coalition that included anti-slavery activists. The Republican Party name was christened in an editorial written by New York newspaper magnate Horace Greeley. The first Republican National Convention was held in the Musical Fund Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 17 to June 19, 1856, where  John C. Frémont was nominated for the President of the United States and William L. Dayton was nominated for vice-president over Abraham Lincoln.

Yet President Obama, in Thursday’s speech before Congress, said: “We all remember Abraham Lincoln as the leader who saved our Union. Founder of the Republican Party.”

As it turn out, this mistake is not uncommon.

From the RNC:

Abraham Lincoln helped establish the Republican Party with a speech denouncing an 1854 law, …

Rep. Mike Pence (R-Texas) said:

It’s 150 years ago in Chicago this year that Abraham Lincoln, the founder of the Republican Party, accepted the Republican nomination for President of the United States.

Rudolph W. Giuliani:

Immigration was a core belief of a founder of the Republican party, Abraham Lincoln …

From Time, regarding a Mike Huckabee speech:

He gives a good speech, but he’s loose with the facts. He called Abraham Lincoln the “founder” of the Republican Party.

A National Review article:

George W. Bush is not a Goldwater Republican — he’s a Lincoln Republican. Like the founder of the Republican party, …

Another National Review article:

I am a Republican, not a libertarian. The founder of my party, Abraham Lincoln, …

Another National Review article, citing James Piereson a Manhattan Institute senior fellow:

Though Lincoln was the founder of the Republican Party, …

From 1889, George S. Boutwell wrote:

In a very important sense Mr. Lincoln may be regarded as the founder of the Republican Party.

From Abraham Lincoln and Constitutional Government, Vol. 1-2 by Bartow Adolphus Ulrich:

Abraham Lincoln, who was the founder of the Republican party, …

From the Proceedings of the Constitutional Convention of the state of … Illinois:

… Lincoln, looked back to as the founder of the Republican Party.

From The Papers of Robert A. Taft, Vol. 3:

… Lincoln, the real founder of the Republican Party.

From Abraham Lincoln, A Documentary Portrait Through His Speeches and Writings, edited by Don E. Fehrenbacher, a well known historian of 19th century United States history:

As much as any man in the country, he was a founder of the Republican party.

I enjoy these historical gaffes, it’s a great opportunity to learn history.

H/T: jukeboxgrad (commenter at VC).