People are getting the warm cuddlies over George W. Bush again.
Stop.
The Obamas are gracious to him because they have important public roles to play. We don't. We can respect their having to stomach what makes us retch without pretending Bush deserves their grace. He doesn't.
George W. Bush ignored screaming sirens before the September 11 terrorist attacks.
George W. Bush used those attacks to lie the United States into attacking a nation that had nothing to do with them, and hundreds of thousands of innocents were killed, with millions made refugees. The disaster he created continues.
George W. Bush authorized torture.
George W. Bush let a great American city drown.
George W. Bush ignored climate change and his policies actively made it worse.
George W. Bush deregulated everything, attacked unions and the social safety net, and crashed the economy.
I get it. Compared to Trump, almost anything looks good. But this isn't grading on a curve. George W. Bush was a horrible president because he was a horrible person. He is not cute. He is not charming. And pretending he is cute or charming is how we got Trump.
Stop.
