Lincoln was seen as a political neophyte. He was not deemed as having much of a chance of gaining the Republican nomination for president. However, he was able to help use the conflicts among the primary candidates to eventually secure the nomination. He helped bring many of the rivals into his cabinet. His cabinet also included many people across party lines. Things were never super stable, with many resignations and attempted resignations. Lincoln worked hard to hold them together.
The focus is on the political maneuvering. As such, the final term of Lincoln's presidency passes by quickly. By then, people were mostly in order. The big conflicts were outside his provenance. The story of the assassination is covered in a way that ties together Seward and his experience with Lincoln. We will never know how Lincoln's conciliatory ways would have worked with reconstruction.
Theodore Boone has two lawyer parents and he can't wait to be a lawyer himself. He knows everyone at the local courthouse and can't wait for an excuse to visit. Asthma prevents him from athletics, but he excels in academics and the study of law. Everyone at school knows he is the legal guru and comes to him for advice. His advice has done everything from helping a classmate's family to save their home to helping a cute girl get her dog back. However, what he is really interested in is the murder trial in town. He secures good seats for his class on the first day, but wishes he could spend more time there on other days. Eventually, he is able to play an active role in seeing that justice is served in the case.