Bush: Only time will tell about his legacy

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 1/4/9 | Carolyn Lochhead

[SmithL]

Washington -- Love him or hate him, George W. Bush leaves office among the most consequential presidents in modern history. Like his home state of Texas, his presidency was big.

He sought "to end tyranny in the world." He began two wars. He cut taxes three times, tried to privatize Social Security, and added the biggest expansion of Medicare since it was created under Lyndon Johnson's Great Society. He took on AIDS in Africa and redrew the federal role in education. He named two relatively young conservatives to the Supreme Court. He declared by himself a "global war on terror" and asserted unprecedented executive powers to fight it.

As bold and brash as his father was cautious, W. rolled the dice at history. And history rolled them back.

Bush entered office only after a historic contested election was decided by the Supreme Court. The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks came less than a year into his presidency; Hurricane Katrina ripped through its middle. And just as he prepared to head home to Texas, a financial panic struck on a scale not seen since 1929. His last major act was to loan billions to General Motors and Chrysler to avoid their collapse on his watch.

Historians will suspend immediate judgment. All modern presidents leave office sullied, yet many, like Harry Truman, Bill Clinton and even Jimmy Carter, have had their reputations restored with time. But from the vista of now, the nation's 43rd president risks joining the likes of Franklin Pierce, his own distant relative, as among the nation's worst presidents, harshly judged in their day and never bathed in the warm afterglow of hindsight.

Bush leaves to his successor two unfinished wars, Osama bin Laden living in an unstable Pakistan, a U.S. reputation soiled by Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo...torture,

[EDINVA]

“... a nation that went from a brutal dictatorship where people lived in constant fear to a free and sovereign democracy, thanks to President Bush’s refusal to waver, falter or fail.”

Amen, brother.

[Yossarian]

Are you saying you would trade some terrorist attacks for the bailout?

You would trade LIVES for money??

What an obscenely moronic statement.

But to be honest, I expect nothing less from mindless BushBots, just as I expect nothing less from mindless libs with BDS.

[org.whodat]

I save my rage for Dodd, FRank, Reid and the Rhinos that let this happen so we had to “Bailout”.

So in your world, when the democrats are in charge it's the democrats fault and when the republicans are in charge it's the democrats fault. Tell me how many republicans voter for Gramm-Leach-Bliley, the cra was attached to this bill by Republican approval. And what time of night was the credit default legalization slipped into an omnibus bill by republicans.

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

I am also upset with republicans who were not pushing the conservative agenda. I hope we can have change within the conservatives.

thank you for responding.

[Marysecretary]

Amen, Starwise. Keep up the good work. Mary

[Theodore R.]

Conservatives must learn that the go-slow, piece-meal approach will not work (like trying to get five Supreme Court justices. Voters will blame Republican politicians like GWB who were never conservative in the first place, and hence conservatism is discredited in their feeble eyes.

[Miss Marple]

Here are your exact words: Oh, yeah, I’ll add “preventing another, and worse, 9-11” in the plusses list. That isn’t minor, but it still is outweighed by what he’s done the past few months.

Most reasonable people would interpret that phrase as saying that the bailouts were so bad that keeping Americans safe is not as important. In other words, if you could only choose one, you would choose that he NOT do the bailouts rather than keeping Americans safe.

If you do not believe that, then you should take more time in constructing your replies.

And to all readers, please note who is calling names.

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

thanks for your response.

[Liberty Valance]

Hear Hear!

[this_ol_patriot]

The one thing President Bush did not do was dishonor the White House, Our House. They won't need a decontamination crew to clean up after the Bush's retire to private life. Nary a stain on the Oval Office rug.

[Allegra]

Non-sarcastic question: how are the Iraqi Christians (? the Chaldeans?) doing these days?

Much better in Baghdad. Over the past year, several of the old Chaldean churches have opened again and are being attended regularly. Many Iraqi Christians who fled during the insane days are returning or have returned.

There are still problems elsewhere, however, most notably in Mosul where Christians are still being targeted for attacks. Although al Qaeda's presence is reduced there compared to the previous years, they are still managing to cause problems. I believe they will be neutered there eventually as well. As al Qaeda becomes toothless in a region, things become safer for the Christians.

The average Iraqi has lived peacefully with Christians for decades and once the problem children have been removed, it should go back that way again.

[bray]

How does she know Bin Laden is in Pakistan? Nobody knows even if he is alive. What obamedia drivel.

Pray for W, America and Our Troops