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02/15/2004: "The Greatest Worst President in History"

George W. Bush is poised to take a unique place in the Hall of Presidents as the Greatest Worst President in American history. There are some Presidents that are judged to be among the greatest and who are celebrated with a holiday or a memorial. Others are considered to be among the worst and are largely forgotten. The greatest are held in distinction because their personal actions had a huge impact on history. It is impossible to imagine that America could achieved its current place among the nations were it not for the leadership of these great Presidents. The least had no particular impact, largely because they didn’t care to have an impact. The Presidency of George W Bush will be unique in American history because he will have a huge impact on history, but it will be disastrously negative. He is the first President to glaringly and cynically place his personal desire to be reelected far ahead of the long-term interests of the country. What he’s doing is “cheating,” stealing money and prospects from upcoming generations, cooking his books to make them look as good as possible. Unfortunately for us, the example of our great Presidents has generated a high level of trust among Americans in the leadership of the present occupant of the Oval Office. If the President says that America can simultaneously have global military supremacy, advanced benefits and services, and the lowest tax rates in the industrialized world, people are inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt. Such policies are certain to create a burst of good feeling in the short run, just the sort of voter joy that leads to a second term. Like all scams, it will inevitably be revealed. The greatest Presidents were sensitive to the judgment of history, hearing not only the loudly expressed passions of their electorate but also to the silent voices of generations yet to come. For the first time in history we have a President who is deaf to these voices, who is oblivious to his duty to preserve and protect the United States in favor of preserving and protecting his tenure. How could he not eventually take his place in Presidential history as the Greatest of the Worst?