Are you kidding me? Such statements show a stunning lack of knowledge about history. Republicans are indeed tainted right now--fairly in some cases, unfairly in others. But we are NOT at a historic low. The days of the Great Depression and the Watergate Era were much, much worse for conservatism.
Now, could we be HEADED in that direction? Yes, if our party doesn't get its head on straight.
That is true as of today. It may not be true six months from now. McCain aside, there is a real danger of our getting totally smoked in Congress and Senate elections.
What the 'rats plan to shove down America's throats will not be just theoretical either. But the GOP has no leadership, no agenda, no interest from the grass roots (read: conservatives), and relatively little money. We keep losing seats to 'rats who run to the right of us. That means we have few candidates who themselves stand for anything, just as Viguerie said. For every Bobby Jindal we have ten complete nonentities for whom no one has any reason to vote, much less man a phone bank, stuff envelopes, pass out fliers and signs, etc. etc.
After eight years as titular party chief, Bush goes home to wherever, smugly consigning our futures to "history," while we have to live with the empty shell of a party he has left.