Bush Fades to Black after Eight-Year Mitigated Disaster

National Review Online ^ | January 16, 2009 | Deroy Murdock

[combat_boots]

“But anyway, W is a terrible communicator.”

I think he second-guesses himself now.

[lewislynn]

Not that Bush was ever “a conservative”. But this is choice coming from these wanna be elitist Neo-con clowns at NRO since they played a big hand in the idiocy of damning conservative values...What did thet expect?

[Moonman62]

Who would be your 2nd best President, after Reagan, from 1964 forward?

A better question would be who ties for last? What I can't stand about the Bushes is that Reagan saved the party, and was a great president, yet, not only did they not follow his example, they pushed Reaganism out of the party.

I don't know if you noticed, but the Bush-bots have been attempting to trash Reagan for years in order to make their guy look good. In return, I'll be exposing W and the rest of his illegal alien loving family for the rest of my life.

[okie01]

FDR was right on the most important issue of the day which was fascism. Doesn't mean I regard him highly as a president.

Was fascism really the most important issue of FDR's day? Or was it the Great Depression?

Last I heard he gets more credit for pulling the country out of the Depression -- which is dead wrong -- than he does for winning WW II -- which is right.

FDR's legacy is a mixed bag -- like most Presidents.

In your estimation, after Reagan, who was the 2nd best President from 1964 forward?

[hinckley buzzard]

Time will show he did a great job. I am not worried.

I am worried after monday

Exactly my point. George Bush has the luxury of sitting around in comfort waiting for "Time to show" whatever it will show. You and the rest of us don't have that luxury, we have to live with the results now. He doesn't have a worry in the world after Monday. His worries will be over. But the rest of us are screwed.

[muleskinner]

Barbara was right - Jeb was the one who should’a been President. Good as Governor of Texas, over his head as President. A prime example of the Peter Principle.

"Too bad! Too bad!..OH! TOO BAD!"

[TruthSlayer]

Because of our level of giving in the past, the GOP hounded us to death this election cycle. We refused to give them a dime. They have left candidates out to dry who tried to fight the system. Jeannine Pirro for one. They don’t want the system changed. They have become fat little piggies at the trough.

I don’t know where our votes will go next time but I can’t see voting for either of the two main parties until there is a shakeup somewhere. Some third party will be the beneficiary next time.

[the OlLine Rebel]

1 thing is absolutely certain:

Bush did what he honestly thought was right.

Despite lots of crying from Republicans on illegals, he held to his views on amnesty.

And despite lots of crying from liberals (including the powerful politicos), he stood firm on Gitmo and the war.

You can’t say, unlike certain other “men”, he ruled by polls.

[Delacon]

“That’s not so bad. I’ve heard pilots refer to themselves as drivers. But anyway, W is a terrible communicator.”

Imagine being a speech writer or a press secretary. How do you get the message out if your president really has no message. Tax cuts got him elected because everyone likes tax cuts. There was no limited gov’t message there. His response to 911 got him re-elected because most Americans wanted to put some harm on those countries that were part of the problem, payback. There wasn’t any organized proactive message there. It wasn’t ever a war on terror, it was a war on islamofascists yet Bush didnt have the guts to call it that. As for social and economic policy over his eight years, it was duck bob and weave. No message and no conservative ideas.

[originalbuckeye]

Where’s the BARF alert??

[okie01]

I don't know if you noticed, but the Bush-bots have been attempting to trash Reagan for years in order to make their guy look good.

Frankly, I haven't.

I don't think it's a "Bush-bot" vs Reagan thing at all. I think it is a "leftist troll vs Reagan" thing.

[doosee]

Nixon did a lot of good for the nation but had his own faults especially with domestic policy. As we know, he resigned shortly after winning a landslide victory due to Watergate. Watergate was a leftist media created event, much like the Plame affair of more recent times. So I would say Nixon, W (first term only), then Bush Sr. None of the three measured up to Reagan in all aspects.

[Charles Henrickson]

Sad to say, I have to agree with most of this article overall. I give President Bush credit for defending America against another attack, for some tax cuts, and for appointing two good SC justices—all important things—but that’s about it. Communication skills—whether on Iraq or on conservative principles—abysmal. Cutting spending and downsizing government—abysmal. Effect on the Republican Party—abysmal.

[Nervous Tick]

>> Where would Bush rank in that group of eight Presidents? Realistically, a solid #2. Think about it...

I see your point.

I was originally a very strong W supporter, especially his handling of 9/11 and the WOT.

On the other hand, I am extremely disapointed with much he has done on the domestic front, and I agree in large part with Deroy Murdock.

On the third hand... I haven’t *voted* since 1964 (only since 74), but I can’t argue with you on your one-two pick. Reagan and W are clearly the top two during that period. (Nixon could fight W for the #2 spot if he hadn’t had that nasty dark side to him...)

But if you wait til ‘12 or ‘16 to evaluate, I really think that Obama will push W out of the #2 spot.
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HA! MADE YOU LOOK! Just kidding about Hussein.

[Hildy]

I actually have a Republican luncheon..this should be fun.

[okie01]

So I would say Nixon, W (first term only), then Bush Sr. None of the three measured up to Reagan in all aspects.

A not unreasonable ranking. What if you included both Nixon terms and both Bush terms?

[BufordP]

Eight Wasted Years ...Margaret Thatcher used to talk about the “ratchet effect.” When the Left gets power, she said, they drive everything Left; when the Right gets power, they slow the Leftward drive, perhaps even halt it for a spell; but nothing ever gets moved to the Right. U.S. politics in the 21st century so far bears out this dismal analysis. What does the Right have to show for eight years of a Republican presidency? I supported George W. Bush in 2000 because I thought he had a conservative bone in his body somewhere. I supported him in 2004 because I thought him the lesser of two evils. At this point, I wouldn’t let the fool park his car in my driveway. Bruce Bartlett was right, every damn word... Bill Gertz interview on Hannity and Colmes Gertz: Well he casts himself as a compassionate conservative and I argue that he's neither. That his administration is neither. He's done tremendous damage to the conservative movement...

[okie01]

HA! MADE YOU LOOK! Just kidding about Hussein.

That deserves a "Yes, you did."

[doosee]

Based on inclusion of both terms then I place: W first, Nixon, then Bush Sr. All in all, sort of a sad tale for the three that didnt have to be sad with just a handful of different decisions and events.

[ConservativeCompendium.net]

Don't forget "Islam means peace"