Today’s Washington Post’s opinion section had five pieces on George W. Bush’s position in history. Eric Foner, a professor of history at Columbia, goes on the attack right out of the gate. Verdict? W. is the worst president in US history. To soothe the wounds of that blow, Mr President (I know you’re an avid reader), I can offer you the salve of Douglas Brinkley’s contention that, really, you aren’t as wholeheartedly crap as Nixon or James ‘Who Fancies A Civil War?’ Buchanan, but instead merely as lame as Herbert ‘Great Depression’ Hoover. Then there’s David Greenberg’s position that you haven’t pissed off as many people as Nixon (yet), so you haven’t quite hit rock bottom. Or, how about Michael Lind’s ringing endorsement of your legacy: “He’s Only Fifth Worst“. I think that means he likes you.
The final piece, and most positive, is by Vincent Cannatto and is entitled “Time’s On His Side“. He thinks that with time to dull our memories, we’ll find your legacy to be distinctly average. And that’s even with him having already forgotten your authorisation of torture. So that’s as good as you’re going to get chief. Sorry.