Inside the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas. In the museum, visitors to an interactive theatre will be presented with the stark choices that confronted the nation's 43rd president.The New York Times
After U.S. President Joe Biden announced he would not run for a second term on Sunday, his rival responded. Not with words of gratitude for what Mr. Biden has done for the country – as president, as vice-president, as a long-serving senator. But rather: “Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run,” Donald Trump posted on social media. And “certainly” not fit to serve. “He only attained the position of President by lies, Fake News, and not leaving his Basement.”
The complete lack of grace and humanity was entirely on brand. But if Mr. Trump’s behaviour is no longer surprising, it should still be sickening.
I was reminded of just how awful a human being and president Mr. Trump is, was, and might be again during a visit to the George W. Bush Presidential Library at Southern Methodist University in Dallas this month.
“I was not elected to serve one party, but to serve one nation,” Mr. Bush said on Dec. 13, 2000, after the Supreme Court ended weeks of uncertainty and gave him the White House over Democratic candidate Al Gore. “The President of the United States is the President of every single American of every race and every background. Whether you voted for me or not, I will do my best to serve your interests, and I will work to earn your respect.”
When Mr. Bush said those words – now immortalized on the wall of this museum – many Democrats, progressives, liberals and others were doubtful and depressed. In the U.S. and around the world, many felt that an electoral injustice had been committed, and were agonizing about this nepo-baby buffoon who was suddenly in charge.
But now, here are some words I never thought I would type, let alone think: what I wouldn’t give for a George W. Bush as the Republican candidate today.
He was far from the sharpest implement in the White House cutlery cabinet, and his malapropisms were legendary. A younger me would have made a joke about visiting a library named for this guy.
And he did monstrous things – launching the war in Iraq alone disqualifies him from being judged as a good president. But at heart, he was not anywhere near the monstrous level of the current Republican candidate. For instance, at least he appears to have a heart.
I’ll take a misguided fool over a lying felon any day. And I think it’s fair to say that Mr. Trump hasn’t spent a whole lot of time perusing the stacks of any library either.
The museum’s Global War on Terror section was hard to stomach. Further, it played down the disastrous and wrongheaded invasion of Iraq. But Mr. Bush’s humanity was still evident. He cared about America and Americans. He possessed some decency.
There were no classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, no Stormy Daniels, no courtroom convictions, no boasting of female-genital grabbing.
This is not to rehabilitate Mr. Bush. He did horrible things. But this museum visit was a reminder of a normal kind of bad leader, as opposed to the would-be vengeful autocrat the world is staring at now.
The 9/11 section highlighted how Mr. Bush managed to comfort the country during a very dark time (before launching those wars, yes). What conciliatory words would Mr. Trump have had on such an occasion? Worse, what sort of response – military and otherwise – would he unleash?
Yes, Mr. Trump was almost assassinated, and how terrible that would have been – but this man should not be president again. It will be worse this time. The egotistical empowerment is only being further fuelled by the blind, sycophantic following from even those who once dared to challenge him, including former leadership rival Nikki Haley and his choice for vice-president, J.D. Vance (who previously called Mr. Trump an idiot and compared him to Adolf Hitler).
Walking through the Texas museum, looking at the photos of Mr. Bush with world leaders and others, I almost burst out laughing picturing Mr. Trump with the Dalai Lama. But I know: it’s not funny.
It’s scary.
If these were normal times, I would find some comfort in the fact that Kamala Harris will bring out the worst in Donald Trump – the misogyny, the racism, the mocking, the childish behaviour – and won’t it be great for that to be exposed?
But it has been exposed, again and again, and it makes no difference. In fact, there are voters who seem to enjoy it.
To borrow one of Mr. Bush’s immortal words, I fear that even those predicting the worst for a second Trump term may be misunderestimating just how bad things could get.