Jan. 11, 2009
History's First Draft Of The Bush Legacy
Historians, Journalists, Bush Aides Discuss How They Believe The 43rd President Will Be Judged
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The Bush Legacy
After eight turbulent years, George W. Bush will step down as the 43rd President of the United States. He leaves behind a nation much changed from when he took office. Thalia Assuras reports.
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8 Years Of 'Bushisms'
President Bush will be remembered for many things, some of which he may want to forget. But, along the way, Bush has poked fun at others too.
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Before No Child Left Behind, before warrantless wiretaps and torture, before U.S. attorney firings and Supreme Court hirings, before two wars and a halt to stem cell research, George W. Bush took the oath of office. Historians will now judge, "How'd he do?" (CBS)
As President Bush leaves office, we take a look back at the legacy he leaves behind.
- Saudi Prince Assails Bush's Mideast Legacy
- President Bush By The Numbers
- Two Last Pardons
- Final Hours As President
- President Bush's Last Day
- Bids Goodbye To World Leaders
- Final Poll: 22% Approval
- In Farewell, Bush Defends Record
- Video Of Final Speech | Transcript
- Bob Schieffer On Bush's Legacy
- Bush Rating Hits Historic Lows
- Presidency In Pictures
- Polls: Overall Job Ratings
Complete Coverage of The Bush Legacy
"I, George W. Bush do solemnly swear …"
As always, it was a day for new beginnings. On January 20, 2001, George Walker Bush became the 43rd president of the United States …
" … to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States …"
… his presidency and the future, a blank slate, back before 9/11, before the Iraq War, before Abu Ghraib, before Katrina swept ashore, before the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.
In nine days, after eight turbulent years, George Bush will depart Washington, and leave behind a radically different country and a changed world.
And the inevitable wrangling will officially begin over the Bush legacy: How this man and this presidency will be viewed through the long lens of history.
"I think he'll be able to look himself in the mirror when he is done and say, I did my best, I made decisions based on principle," said former Bush communications director Dan Bartlett.
"As a judicial historian looking at what's occurred on his watch, it is almost void of genuine accomplishment," said presidential historian Douglas Brinkley.
"In foreign policy where he has taken so much criticism, I think the assessment of history will be surprisingly positive," said former Bush speechwriter David Frum.
"I think President Bush might very well be the worst president in U.S. history," said Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Joseph Ellis.
Because today's historians, including Ellis, get to write the first draft, the Bush legacy seems to be in for a bumpy start.
"He's unusual," said Ellis. "Most two-term presidents have a mixed record. Lyndon Johnson, one of the greatest achievements in the 20th century was civil rights legislation; on the other hand you have the extraordinary tragedy of Vietnam. Even Richard Nixon opened the door to China and had foreign policy credentials. Bush has nothing on the positive side, virtually nothing."
And that's not a minority opinion. In a 2006 Siena College survey of 744 history professors, 82% rated President Bush below average, or a failure.
Last April, in an informal poll by George Mason University of 109 historians, Mr. Bush fared even worse - 98% considered him a failed president. Sixty-one percent judged him, as Ellis does, one of the worst in American history.
"John Adams, the second president, said that there's one unforgivable sin that no president will ever be forgiven, and that is to put the country into an unnecessary war," Ellis said. "I think that Iraq has proven to be an unnecessary war, and will appear to be more unnecessary as time goes on."
Assuras asked journalist Bob Woodward if the Iraq War is the defining component of his presidency.
"The Iraq War is the defining variable because it was his decision," he said. "No one has the illusion that a president is commander in chief of the economy, he is not. He is commander in chief of the military, and in the end you wind up getting judged and held accountable for what you're in charge of."
Woodward has written four books on the Bush presidency.
"I've interviewed him for close to 11 hours," Woodward said. "One of the questions I asked him was about how history would look at his Iraq War. And he rightly says, 'We won't know, we'll all be dead.' May look very different in 50 years, if there's democracy, more stability. If that's the case it's quite possible historians (who are measuring that legacy) will look back on it and say he did fine."
"When we look around the world, we see all sorts of quiet successes for the United States over the past eight years," said Frum, now with the American Enterprise Institute. Regardless of how Iraq turns out, he says, it's not the only issue on the table.
"We have this rising power of China that has shown a lot of aggression," said Frum. "The Bush administration has managed to avoid confrontation with China, to open the way to a peaceful and normal future for China.
"And where there have been new governments from Japan to South Korea to Germany to France, each change of power has brought to power a more friendly government to the United States," said Frum.
On the domestic side, President Bush claims credit for the No Child Left Behind Act, the prescription drug benefit, and putting a conservative stamp on the federal courts.
He's recognized for progress fighting AIDS in Africa, and just last week set aside a huge tract of the Pacific as a protected wildlife area.
Opinions vary on the impact of these and other programs, but the consensus is Bush's legacy will largely rest on one event - 9/11 - and his response to the attacks.
"At the eye of the storm, he was a very calm person," said Bartlett, "making very methodical decisions. This was a man who met his moment in many respects as a leader."
Bartlett, now a CBS News consultant, was President Bush's communications director, and was with him during the attacks.
Mr. Bush's greatest legacy, he believes, is that there have been no more attacks on U.S. soil since 9/11, "which at the time was not something that was considered to be possible. Many people thought it was only inevitable that the terrorists who want to do harm to our country would be successful."
"I think President Bush was a good man, so infuriated and angered by 9/11 that he put on his ideological blinders and forgot that we have other things we represent: civil liberties here at home, a constitution, global human rights," said Brinkley. "Then he started disliking the world community, alienated allies for no reason."
Brinkley, also a CBS News consultant, sees 9/11 as a different kind of turning point.
(AP)
There is a handful of presidents usually included in the top tier of historical rankings: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt.
So where will George W. Bush fit in?
Bartlett believes the debate is still too tinged with partisan politics for any objective measure.
"I think the politics of the moment, and they've gotten very acrimonious, will slowly fade," he said. "And then you can have a more dispassionate view of what did this person achieve, what was he trying to do, and was that actually right? My sense is it's going to be a more favorable picture."
So is President Bush's current low rating among historians just liberal bias? Rice University's Douglas Brinkley doesn't buy it.
"When I'm sitting here telling you that Ronald Reagan and Theodore Roosevelt and Dwight Eisenhower were outstanding presidents? These are Republicans," Brinkley said. "I'm telling you Ronald Reagan was one of the five greatest presidents in American history. I'm not saying that because I'm a liberal. I'm just saying it 'cause it's a fact.
"But you have to then accept when I'm telling you George Bush is one of the five worst presidents in American history. It's not 'cause I want to stick it to him. He simply failed on the big questions of his day."
"In his mind he sees himself a little bit like Harry Truman or Abraham Lincoln," said Woodward. "Misunderstood in their time. And we'll have to go to another time to get a really solid historical judgment on that.
"And he's right when he says we'll all be dead, we won't know."
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See all 349 CommentsBush''s Legacy:
Corruption
Incompetence
Disastrous Failure
A total failure and The Worst President Ever.
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Posted by demswin08 at 10:11 AM
Another I''ll informed lefty wallowing in self pity. BTW Bush isn''t even in the top ten worst according to historians. Kennedy is though (5), for almost killing us all.
There will be worse Presidents. WE might not know that either, or we might..time will tell.
Posted by peace4321 at 09:59 AM : Jan 11, 2009
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If you are inferring that the president elect will be worse than Bush; do you honestly believe that anyone could take the office of the president of the United States and clean up the mess that has been left behind?
Posted by andie52 at 10:39 AM
Doom despair agony for Andie, if it weren''t for Andie luck we wouldn''t have no luck at all doom despair agony on Andie.
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Posted by demswin08
You are a hateful person that will have extreme BAD LUCK in the future. Trust me - your sorrows of grief you currently are experiencing will be nothing compared to the future.
So hold the ones close to you tight because that KARMA will follow you again.
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Posted by cattlekate
PROOF please and be specific? Your conspiracy theories are really growing old and your two cents really mean shiite.
Posted by andie52 at 10:50 AM
We''ll never know will we? One thing I do know the country would have been more balanced with a two party rule not the current one party rule. Obama is just the Democrat version of Bush and will/already lead to more kleptocracy.
Posted by I_H_Libturds at 11:05 AM : Jan 11, 2009
That''s funny. Exactly the the legacy your hero leaves behind.
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Rest assured, he DID try! He signed more executive orders than any other president, pressing the agendas that would never have made it through a less biased Congress. He not only decided in favor of attacking Iraq, he pushed it hard, to the point of distorting the facts. His war on the environment should tee off the tree huggers but it was so blatant that his actions border on creating a public health hazard.
Bush''s legacy is not just one of incompetence, it is one wrought with deliberate, self-serving efforts. Whether he did or did not do great damage, his is the kind of character that should never be in office at any level!
Posted by I_H_Libturds at 11:00 AM : Jan 11, 2009
He would probably still be lying about how the fundamentals of the economy are strong.
Bush policies are those that was part of the admin. It would be interesting to find an impartial opinion for the policies. Good Luck finding one.
- arrogantly incompetent
could handle the task in two words.
1. Keeping us all safe for 8 years. Like FDR, he did what it took. Thank you.
2. STEADY WAR LEADERSHIP.
You have got to give the guy much( so under reported ) credit for the SURGE, it worked, when most Rep andall Dem and all the media were very, very , very much against. THIS IS A PROFILE IN Courage! He was right, the rest were terribly wrong. including Joe Biden. Listen up Joe !
3. Bringing democracy to Iraq and ending a brutal dictatorship with ties to Bath- Nazis of WWII. Fianlly. Will democracy take ? Seems like it.
4. Aid to Africa, in a major way, while again under reported.
5. Challenging the UN role in the world.
What legacy might this be??
''One less terrorist regime in the world??''
Arguably the least threatening terrorist regime.
''The middle east being a bit more free due to our military killing thousands of American hating camel molesters (very likely some of your kinfolk)???''
Define ''a bit more free''.
''Or, the fact we haven''''t been attacked on US soil since 9/11/2001????''
Wasn''t that one enough for you? Did he find Bin Laden yet?
Posted by I_H_Libturds at 11:19 AM : Jan 11, 2009
BUSH IS Our first PROGRESSIVE PRES.
He is a neo progresssive.
Since he supports freedoms for women, gayys, freedom of speech, democracy, health care in Africa. WE sent troops to war in IRAQ to bring those freedoms, to plant a seed, to bring democracy, to free women who were being raped, and stoned to death. To stop the gassing of innocent Kurds . That seed of democracy will change the very make up of the middle east. In 20 years, this change. will make him recogised as one of the best and most couraged presidents we have had. Do you remember how the world came out vs. the SURGE. Well he was right, and you all were wrong.
Bush has paved the way for future tyrants with his evil precedents.
The Surge WORKED.
Power to the PEOPLE.
The man brought democracy and freedom, voting ! to Iraq. If you believe in bringing freedom to the world, as JFK did, you must give him high marks.
FREEDOM increased.
Posted by HamiltonGRAD
The ends do NOT justify the means. It could well be that the $trillion + that will be spent on Iraq, may destroy us later or prevent us from participating in far more important actions, later.
You cannot know the true Opportunity Cost of Bush''s War of Choice.
So long as we bankrupt ourselves over security, Osama Bin Laden has no reason to attack us. He has said in the past that is his intent.
Man you are really in need of therapy.
FREEDOM increased."
Posted by HamiltonGRAD
Not credible. Mass wiretapping of Americans, while claiming otherwise, does not increase our freedom.
This just in:
Judge Rules Against Bush On Visitor Logs
Rejects Admin.''s Attempt To Keep White House Visitors Secret, Declares Secret Service Records Illegally Deleted
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/01/10/national/main4712006.shtml?tag=main_home_storiesBySection
"Mission Accomplished!"
"Heck of a job!"
"Bring ''em on"
Posted by HamiltonGRAD at 11:25 AM : Jan 11, 2009
The situation was clearly caused by the arrogant incompetence of the Bush Administration too inept to keep the detainees out of the country in the first place. It''s best to identify the cause of a problem before attempting to assign blame.
Posted by HamiltonGRAD at 11:25 AM : Jan 11, 2009
Secondly Obama has shown progress on the issue as several European countries have already expressed interest in accepting some of the detainees so they can be legally deported (none of which were even interested in assisting while Bush was President) -- a procedure that would have been unnecessary without the arrogant incompetence of the Bush Administration and the legal vacuum Bush chose to operate within.
Sadly, the Democratic Party has drifted away from the principles of JFK and Scoop Jackson. Everyone knows that Bush has been a fighter for freedom.
Therefore, Bush = JFK = Progressive.
More freedoms. And he kept America safe.
Man you are really in need of therapy.
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Posted by josebcruz at 11:35 AM
Yeah JFK was worse, Bay of Pigs, Cuban missile crisis, Directed CIA to kill Castro, Vietnam, 50k+ Americans dead millions of Vietnamese, Broke US Steel steel production went over seas, Berlin wall.....
It will require a century or more for anyone to consider calling BUSH a progressive -- (associated with a significant destruction of the records of the current period).
Man you are really in need of therapy.
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Posted by josebcruz at 11:35 AM
Yeah JFK was worse, Bay of Pigs, Cuban missile crisis, Directed CIA to kill Castro, Vietnam, 50k+ Americans dead millions of Vietnamese, Broke US Steel steel production went over seas, Berlin wall.....
Then again, if I was conducting illegal activities I''d hesitate to use the official, legally mandated, archived email system, too.
JFK WAS TOUGH.
BOTH WANTED AMERICA TO FIGHT FOR THE FREEDOM OF OTHER PEOPLES.
THAT IS IS. IF YOU CAN NOT SEE THE TRUTH, TOO BAD FOR YOU.
Administration Oversight, White House Use of Private E-mail Accounts
The Use of RNC E-mail Accounts by White House Officials
The Oversight Committee has been investigating whether White House officials violated the Presidential Records Act by using e-mail accounts maintained by the Republican National Committee and the Bush Cheney %u201804 campaign for official White House communications. This interim staff report provides a summary of the evidence the Committee has received to date, along with recommendations for next steps in the investigation.
http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?id=1362
he got the Missiles out of Cuba, the bay of Pigs he did not commit because the Cubans should have toppled Castro on their own. dominicans killed their dictator Trujillo on their own with very little assistance from the US. Kennedy sent in advisors to Vietnam. After he was murdered other Presidents are resonsible for the outcome of that war, can''t blame JFK. Berlin wall, it was up before he became President, he visited and denounced the wall. Would you have suggested attacking the Russians? Killing Castro, well ask any Cuban what they think of that effort. Every President has tried to eliminate someone. Castro is more of a threat to the US than Saddam Hussein was. What ammazes me is the amount of people who after this idiot Bush has ruined everything there are still people like you who still back him up. Whew !!! You need some real Strong Drugs !!!
JFK WAS TOUGH.
STALIN WAS TOUGH.
HITLER WAS TOUGH.
"Anyone who trades liberty for security deserves neither liberty nor security" - Benjamin Franklin
http://www.quotesdaddy.com/quote/73139/benjamin-franklin/anyone-who-trades-liberty-for-security-deserves-neither
Only one enormous terrorist attack on US soil.
Only one unneccesary war.
Only one stolen election.
Only one near-death experience with a pretzel.
Only one VP accidental shooting incident.
Only one botched natural disaster.
Only one Depression.
Bush learns from his mistakes! His enormous, crippling, embarrassing mistakes.
unbelievable
apparently forgot Ketchup as a vegetable...
or subverting the US Constitution for Iran / Contra
"When I''m sitting here telling you that Ronald Reagan and Theodore Roosevelt and Dwight Eisenhower were outstanding presidents? These are Republicans," Brinkley said. "I''m telling you Ronald Reagan was one of the five greatest presidents in American history. I''m not saying that because I''m a liberal. I''m just saying it ''cause it''s a fact."
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