How did Lincoln change?
People tend to forget in a legal and originalist constitutional sense, Lincoln set dangerous executive precedents that have been abused by GWB and Obama. Namely war powers that were not constitutional, he deployed troops to swing elections in the north (Delaware,) and most notably suspended habeus corpus.
Are you saying that since he said racist things like the below, that you are willing to forgive Lincoln because he "changed?"
"I will say that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races, that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or jurors of Negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and between the white and black raced which I believe will forever forbid the two races from living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they can not so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race." -Abraham Lincoln, in his 4th debate with Stephen Douglas in 1858.
Even the Emancipation Proclamation was deemed illegal by abolitionists. Lincoln's intent on the Proclamation was not altogether altruistic, but one to subdue the enemy (the South) at all costs. The mere fact that slavery still continued to exist in the North after the proclamation only strengthens the argument that he was a man concerned with Power more so than the perceived nobility of ending slavery. Also, slavery didn't cease in the North until the 13th amendment was ratified.
My original comment on Reagan and Lincoln being both racist and overrated was definitely a troll post, but you can't deny Lincoln wasn't racist. Reagan's rhetoric, like many have cited, doesn't surprise me given the time. I'd say it's distasteful looking back for sure, but we're all human and I'm sure he's not the only white President that's said some distasteful things.
Given Lincoln's comments above, I'm surprised his monument is still up in Washington!