Whither Bush

I voted for George Bush in 2000, mainly because I disliked Al Gore. After 9/11, I was initially inspired by Bush, then bothered, then dismayed, then infuriated. His bravado seemed a charade, a mask for his sense that he was in over his head.

I strongly disliked George while large swaths of the American public were adoring him as God's man for this moment. Now that they've shrugged off his presidency and pondered what to do in a post-Romney world, I feel pity for the president.

How will history remember him? Detractors say, "as America's worst president." Supporters, few as they are, say, "as another Truman."

The latter view may seem far-fetched and self-serving right now, but I find it plausible. Posterity's view of us will have less to do with our accomplishments and more to do with what they need to believe. They may find a valuable narrative in the Bush saga, by dressing up his accomplishments and his character, and by overlooking other things.

Remember that Lincoln was hardly universally admired in his own day. John Wilkes Booth sincerely believed he'd be a hero for his dastardly deed.

And remember that this nation seemed quite exhausted by Reagan after 8 years, which is why Mike Dukakis was 17 points ahead of the man who took the Reagan mantle (right before Dukakis got Willie-Hortoned to smithereens). We remember Reagan for winning the Cold War and for restoring American confidence, as we overlook the role that people like Charlie Wilson played, the way Reagan created the modern culture of massive federal debt, Iran-contra, the scandals of that era, and so on.

Similarly, Clinton's legacy is not yet established. It will evolve, based on what inspirations or cautions we later believe we need to draw from his tenure.