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Historians: Bush presidency 'battered,' 'incompetent,' 'unlucky'
CNN ^ | Thursday, November 7, 2008 | Ed Hornick

Posted on 11/06/2008 4:21:15 PM PST by MinorityRepublican

(CNN) -- With record low approval ratings and intense criticism for his handling of the Iraq war, Hurricane Katrina and the economy, the word most used to label George W. Bush's presidency will be "incompetent," historians say.

"Right now there is not a lot of goodwill among historians. Most see him as a combination of many negative factors," said Julian Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School.

"He is seen as incompetent in terms of how he handled domestic and foreign policy. He is seen as pushing for an agenda to the right of the nation and doing so through executive power that ignored the popular will," he added.

But like so many presidents before him, Bush's reputation could change with time.

Harvard University political history scholar Barbara Kellerman said when President-elect Barack Obama takes over in January, people may view Bush in a new light.

"I think it's possible when people have stopped being as angry at the Bush administration as they are now ... that they will realize that some of this is just ... the luck of the draw."

Kellerman, author of the book "Bad Leadership: What It Is, How It Happens, Why It Matters," noted that Bush has not had luck on his side for the past eight years.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
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To: Brian S. Fitzgerald

“A little early for evaluations, IMO.”

Publishers make schools buy new, updated books every few years. Kids will start learning all of this about the Bush administration effective pretty much immediately. Whether or not enough time has passed for a fair evaluation, an evaluation has been made all the same.


41 posted on 11/06/2008 5:25:48 PM PST by COgamer
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To: LS

“This historian has never, ever, not once, been contacted by any of these organizations for his opinion on Pres. Bush’s administrations.”

How many textbooks are you writing that will be read by school children all over the nation? The ones that are writing the books, and making their opinions known, and in so doing indoctrinate the next generation, are the ones with the power. They are, consequently, the ones who will be interviewed.


42 posted on 11/06/2008 5:28:17 PM PST by COgamer
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To: OpusatFR

Bush is like Truman who left with very low poll ratings, Korea War was viewed as an unnecessary war and was refer as “Truman’s War”. By the mid 1970’s people revisited Truman and conclude he was a good President because he was the first to deal with the Soviet threat. The rise of a modern, prosperous and now democratic South Korea exonerates his decision and the sacrifice of the American soldiers.


43 posted on 11/06/2008 5:33:32 PM PST by Fee
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To: Jeff Head

I remember “historians” saying much the same when Reagan left office.


44 posted on 11/06/2008 5:35:06 PM PST by Skooz (Gabba Gabba we accept you we accept you one of us Gabba Gabba we accept you we accept you one of us)
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To: OpusatFR
"Also not mentioned is the demise of a sacred tradition that politics stops at the water’s edge. The democrats in Congress, Former President Bill Clinton, and others used the media in foreign countries to bash Bush to politicize their cause for the future."

And that I will never forgive the Democrats for doing! And Obama going to Berlin frikin' GERMANY and bashing the USA I will never forgive him for doing.

Your entire post was excellent!

45 posted on 11/06/2008 5:41:13 PM PST by avacado
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To: MinorityRepublican

I have only two problems with W.

1.) He spent too much.
2.) He didn’t spend enough time communicating his agenda directly like Reagan did.

Historians will chronicle him as a near great president. Unless they’re honest then he’ll be a great president.

Look at some of his acclomplishments:

1)Roberts
2)Alito
3)No attacks for 8 years
4)Economic prosperity against all odds
5)Second Amendment affirmed as an individual RIGHT.
6)Liberated 50 million people from tyranny
7)Stem cell research position. I haven’t seen this for a while but that was a good decision back in 2001 I think.
8)Laura Bush is the classiest First Lady since Barbara and before then I don’t know when.
9)First manly president since Teddy Roosevelt and Ike Eisenhower(Sarah Palin might have extended the run)
10)A clarity of vision not seen since Lincoln (unfortunately not communicated well enough).


46 posted on 11/06/2008 5:41:25 PM PST by AZ .44 MAG (Am I foolish to explain things? He had such trouble with my name.)
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To: COgamer
Actually, my textbook IS used at dozens of colleges, widely used in high school AP classes, and overwhelmingly used by homeschoolers. It's in its 5th printing (plus audio) already.

You might read it some day. A Patriot's History of the United States. And it's not the first book I have used in college classes: my previous book, The Entrepreneurial Adventure: A History of Business in the United States is used in business history classes all around the country and is out of print, due to come out next fall in a new edition.

Next question?

47 posted on 11/06/2008 5:50:53 PM PST by LS ("Castles made of sand, fall in the sea . . . eventually." (Hendrix))
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To: MinorityRepublican
I loathe W. But I pray history will be kinder to him than I have been.
48 posted on 11/06/2008 5:51:14 PM PST by LiberConservative (Obama voter: "We gonna get PAID!!!!")
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To: AZ .44 MAG

I agree with you that President Bush has the most vision since President Lincoln. He viewed America as a nation no longer divided just as our current President viewed the Middle East where freedom will reign because it is God’s gift to humanity. I think the World will view his legacy favorably once Iraq becomes stable and prosperous. Even President-elect Obama can’t screw up that one, thanks to our President, Al-Qaeda is virtually decimated.


49 posted on 11/06/2008 5:57:14 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: Names Ash Housewares

patriot act... homeland security.. tax cuts.. libya.. destruction of al queda network... formed new policy about not allowing terrorists to be harbored in any foreign country..

Bush will go down in history as one of the greatest.. although he did spend too much with help of congress..


50 posted on 11/06/2008 6:03:50 PM PST by outlawjake
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To: I see my hands

After that cermony, it would be nice to name President Bush the “Lionheart”


51 posted on 11/06/2008 6:03:59 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

The one thing I hate most about our current political climate is that our leaders die before vindication. It might be a good thing since positive feedback has a bad habit of destroying its mechanisms.

My biggest fear after our removing Saddam HUSSEIN (emphasis intentional) and the subsequent media whining was that future presidents would hesitate to do the right thing in fear of the media’s portrayal of them.

Thank G*d that George W. Bush did the right thing without regard to the media’s reaction.


52 posted on 11/06/2008 6:08:40 PM PST by AZ .44 MAG (Am I foolish to explain things? He had such trouble with my name.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

CNN is competent of being liars!

53 posted on 11/06/2008 6:09:23 PM PST by timestax ( CNNLIES)
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To: MinorityRepublican

History will be kinder to George Bush than today’s historians. He shepherded the country through an extremely dangerous time after the worst attack on American soil by our enemies. He implemented measures that kept us safe throughout his term.


54 posted on 11/06/2008 6:11:47 PM PST by DouglasKC
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To: OpusatFR

When Bush failed to oppose RU 486 and spent like a drunkin sailor, he lost my confidence.

One thing I agree with Obama on — Iraqis should spend their surplus to rebuild their country.

Talk about ‘welfare’ — the Iraqis have become Welfare Queens extraordinaire.


55 posted on 11/06/2008 6:14:44 PM PST by rightreb (Lib setup?)
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