If Bush Loses...

[roGER]

There's a common pattern (assuming, of course, Dubya loses):

1) He's regarded as the worst President since [insert name here].

2) Memories fade and he's rehabilitated somewhat. A recent example is the santification of Ronald Regan.

3) Academics with detailed knowledge of all the presidents do a proper evaluation with the benefit of perfect hindsight and the memoirs of many of the key players. But by the time they get around to doing it, nobody except history buffs really care...

My best guess is in the popular imagination he'll be a semi-forgotten mediocre president forever associated with 9/11. Rather like Gerald Ford will be forever associated with Nixon's pardon, and Lyndon Johnson with the Vietnam war.

- roGER