Gamble checks the source and finds it says that total rate of growth took place over 15 years. Historian Brian Dirck said that few Civil War scholars take DiLorenzo seriously, pointing to his "narrow political agenda and faulty research". Ken Masugi of the Claremont Institute wrote in National Review that "DiLorenzo frequently distorts the meaning of the primary sources he cites, Lincoln most of all." Masugi provides the following example: Masugi further asserts that DiLorenzo failed to recognize "a disunited America might have become prey for the designs of European imperial powers, which would have put an end to the experiment in self-government." DiLorenzo responded saying that Masugi was selective in his presentation about Lincoln and "relies entirely on a few of Lincoln's prettier speeches, ignoring his less attractive ones as well as his actual behavior." He concluded that Lincoln used his considerable rhetorical skills to camouflage his true intentions and mask his behavior. Ken Whitefield noted that: Writing in 2013 about DiLorenzo's book and the work of other "Lincoln haters", Rich Lowry said: See also Forced into Glory Notes Further reading External links BookTV: The Real Lincoln lecture by Thomas DiLorenzo, May 2002 The Real Abraham Lincoln: A Debate debate transcript with Harry V. Jaffa & Thomas J. DiLorenzo, May 2002 Abraham Lincoln interview with Thomas J. DiLorenzo by C-SPAN, 2008 (YouTube) 2002 non-fiction books American biographies American history books American political books Biographies of Abraham Lincoln History books about the American Civil War