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Rubin's Lincoln is now famous in West Virginia. Recently the House of Delegates even asked him to portray Lincoln before the entire chamber (Lincoln signed the bill creating the state in 1862, so West Virginians love the guy). Before the event, Rubin-qua-Lincoln roamed the Capitol grounds, and at least a dozen passersby asked for a snapshot with him. He told me, with glee, that this happens all the time. "I've walked into a bank," he said, "and all transactions cease."
Inside, Rubin and "Mary Lincoln"--his friend Joyce Browning, one of about 40 Marys in the A.L.P.--were received by various dignitaries, including secretary of state Betty Ireland, who asked, "Abraham, what's all this I hear about you sleeping with men for four years?"--a reference to a recent book arguing, contentiously, that Lincoln was gay. Rubin, a sweet but totally cornball guy, responded, "I'm just gonna concentrate on two words, and that's how I started the Gettysburg Address: 'Four score.' I scored four times--I had four sons. And each time I felt gay--I felt really happy." He would repeat that response throughout the day--to a state archivist, to a woman from the Governor's office, to a state senator.
Late in the day, Rubin and Browning did their Lincoln bit in the House of Delegates. To put it charitably, Rubin does not have Lincoln's gift for brevity--he can deliver the Gettysburg Address in 1 min. 50 sec., but he held the podium in Charleston for a solid half an hour. One delegate, Brady Paxton, browsed the Fox Sports website; another, Sharon Spencer, leaned across the aisle in her red kimono jumpsuit to ask, "How long is this?" But the power of Lincoln is such that when Rubin finally did get to the Gettysburg Address, everyone perked up. And Abe and Mary left to a standing ovation.
For a Web exclusive about professors who loathe Lincoln, visit time.com/lincoln