LA Times Column proclaims Bush "Worst President Ever..."

[YellowRubberDuckie]

And apparently, this is ticking poor wittle Drudge off.

LOS ANGELES TIMES COLUMN: BUSH WORST PRESIDENT IN AMERICAN HISTORY
Fri Oct 08 2004 09:46:43 ET

In a LA TIMES column, Jonathan Chait blasts: "To say that I consider Bush a 'bad' president would be a severe understatement. I think he's bad in a way that redefines my understanding of the word 'bad.'

"I used to think U.S. history had many bad presidents. Now, my 'bad' category consists entirely of George W. Bush, with every previous president redefined as 'good.'

"There's also the fact that, on a personal level, I despise him with the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns. What I'm saying is, advocating Bush is kind of tricky." But "what I'll argue instead is that his very awfulness is the reason he deserves reelection. Begin with the premise that a second-term Bush administration is unlikely to make things a whole lot worse." Bush's presidency "is a great mass of contradictions. There's an enormous gap between his purported values - fiscal discipline, toughness against terrorists, a commitment to social conservatism - and his true record.

"Sure, it would be emotionally satisfying to see Bush rejected by the voters once again. But maybe, for this president, defeat is too kind a fate."



I love it.
Duckie

[judge_smales]

1. No shit!

I've been saying that for 3 years.

[DarkPhenyx]

2. needs a link, duckie. n/t

[skylarmae]

3. Isn't this the same phrase the Matriarch of the Press Corp, Helen,

say about gerogie porgie a couple of years ago and since that time has paid a huge price within the corp. They used to call on her first at every daily press briefing (out of respect) before she espoused truthful criticism of the president.

[Demit]

4. Second term unlikely to make things worse? Holy moly!!!

Can you say Supreme Court? Can you say extension of the Patriot Act? Privatization of Social Security? Laws limiting patients' right to sue?

Four more years of what this man and his craven cohorts are capable of? Is this writer fucking nuts???

[Bossy Monkey]

11. I think it's just possible that his intent was ironical n/t

[Demit]

13. well, I thought of that, but didn't want to go to the whole story, and

I figured that I should've been able to divine that from the first couple grafs.

[Bossy Monkey]

14. He certainly seems to be an asshat, per Kos

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/9/18/12417/4097
Either a different column (yesterday's) or a completely different take on the same one

[Demit]

15. Thanks for the Kos link. And yes, he is. Chait an asshat, I mean.

I did go to the above story the OP posted. Chait apparently subscribes to the breezy theory that the country would come to its senses (two new SC justices included) and be able to withstand anything BushCo tried to inflict. Therefore it "wouldn't be so bad". Such an optimist!

He also thinks it would be good if Bush had to stick around to clean up his own mess. As if Bush has ever had to clean up any mess he's made in his entire life.

For a New Republic columnist...God! I just realized. He reminds me of David Brooks!

[judge_smales]

5. In an interesting parellel

the previous holder of the title, Warren Harding, was hugely popular during his term.

I'm sure there were people then who wondered, like we do today, "How can they support this guy?!?!?!"

[Inland]

6. Dictionary to include Bush's picture next to definition of "failure"

[hlthe2b]

7. PLEASE give a link......

[Bossy Monkey]

12. LAT is subscription only; this should be the link

if you want to subscribe: http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-chait17sep17,1,642993.story
This is Drudge:
http://drudge.com/discuss/viewMessage.php/12714

[vogonity]

8. perfect

In a LA TIMES column, Jonathan Chait blasts: "To say that I consider Bush a 'bad' president would be a severe understatement. I think he's bad in a way that redefines my understanding of the word 'bad.'

"I used to think U.S. history had many bad presidents. Now, my 'bad' category consists entirely of George W. Bush, with every previous president redefined as 'good.'

Perfectly sums up my feelings. Thank you.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

9. The W is for WORST. eom

[MallRat]

10. "I despise him with the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns."

I nearly fell off my chair when I read that.

:D