Historian Allan Nevins argued that the newly inaugurated Lincoln made three miscalculations: underestimating the gravity of the crisis, exaggerating the strength of Unionist sentiment in the South, and not realizing the Southern Unionists were insisting there be no invasion.
This was Mr Salmond's achievement, the unionist campaign's big weakness and, more through force of personality than any credible idea, it is Mr Farage's strength, too.
It is not clear if Sinn Fein was privately taken aback by the strength of opposition to the Castlederg march among unionists.
Drawing its strength from Methodist lay preachers and Roman Catholic trade unionists, as well as secular intellectuals, it has been a moral crusade or nothing.
In fact, the involvement of trade unionists in the leadership election should be seen as a source of strength for the new leader.
This has introduced a new element of instability into a peace process which has never been fully secure.On one important level, the general election in May showed the underlying strength of the process, since more than 90% of those who voted, whether unionists or nationalists, picked parties that back the Belfast Assembly.
I don't say, "Because you're from that background, I can't work with you".' This was always his strength as deputy prime minister - he was a brilliant negotiator who managed to keep the Old Labour unionists on board while Blair and Brown were pushing through their New Labour reforms.
When I talk to senior trade unionists in the transport industry, they are fully aware that they need to change in order to develop an approach that is more in keeping with their strength in today's world.
He was, above all, a trade unionist.
