Is Bush The Worst President of the Last 50 Years?

[jennythereader]

The December 4th episode of Intelligence Squared US asks that very question. It's an interesting debate that I strongly recommend.

[Poll #1335649]

Added: Before the debate started they polled the studio audience. The results were:
65% agreed
17% disagreed
18% were undecided

At the end of the debate they polled the studio audience again. Those results were:
68% agreed
27% disagreed
5% were still undecided

Comments

[curlyeric.livejournal.com]

50 years is quite a long time and I really don't have a good enough perspective to say, for sure, he is the worst. I would say he is the worst I have know and from my readings he ranks up there in the top 3.

[jennythe-reader.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'd say that over all the only real rivals for all time worst are Grant and Harding.

[shannonolippy.livejournal.com]

worst.president.EVER.

No doubt about it! Interesting that CNN blocked out the boos from the inaugural crowd when Dubya hit the stage, they showed it on The Daily Show.

[gwenlianna.livejournal.com]

I didn't like Bush, and never voted for him. I think the crowd's reaction was a bit tacky and in poor taste though.

[uncacreamy.livejournal.com]

I certainly think it was not in the spirit of Obama's message. Obama said the same thing, just in a classier way.

I AM pleased with it though. For 8 years, Bush has censored any negative response to him in every crowd that has been near him. I think he deserved it.

[tx-cronopio.livejournal.com]

I think the crowd showed him more respect than he showed the Constitution.

[seawasp]

I have to put him down as the absolute worst because he had all the potential advantages of this era to help him. If he had flaws, there were ways to cover them without anyone even knowing. He could have been a Great Man without even having the talent, really; the opportunity was thrust upon him and he didn't just fumble the ball, he deliberately threw it to the other team because it wasn't the game he wanted to play.