Who's Worse, Bush or Nixon?
December 4th, 2008It’s like the difference between AIDS and SuperAIDS.
Things got kind of heated the other night at a post-screening discussion of the “Frost/Nixon” movie. Chris Wallace of Fox News reportedly challenged a statement by one of the researchers for the actual Frost/Nixon interview which compared Bush negatively to Richard Nixon.
Richard Nixon back in the spotlight
Wallace argued that Nixon’s crimes were in the interest of personal gain, while Bush’s were in the interest of national security.
So this is where the shaping of Bush’s legacy stands? His supporters are just trying to help him jump the “Worse Than Nixon” hurdle?
We’re betting the question of who was the worse president will be debated for years to come, but we’d like to weigh in with our pick right now.
It’s Bush. Bush is a worse president than Richard Nixon.
Chris Wallace made his argument, but we’ve got 10 arguments of our own…
1. Nixon tried to steal an election. Bush succeeded.
2. Nixon never responded to a domestic attack by invading the wrong country.
3. Nixon managed to end his war. Bush is just gonna let someone else figure his out.
4. No major cities were allowed to drown under Nixon’s administration.
5. Nixon had the decency to resign. Bush didn’t.
6. Nixon’s VP also had the decency to resign. Bush’s VP is the worst human being who ever lived.
7. No one ever called Nixon’s economy “the worst since the Great Depression.”
8. Nixon built our relationship with China. Bush destroyed our relationship with everybody.
9. Nixon only wire-tapped the Democratic National Committee. Bush wiretapped everybody.
10. Nixon was intelligent enough to be called “Tricky Dick.” Bush is stupid enough to be called “a fucking imbecile.”
That pretty much clinches it. If we’ve left out any supporting arguments, or if anyone anywhere can think of one reason why the Bush administration wasn’t entirely awful, let us know in the comments section. But our mind is made up, so we’re going to go ahead and give Bush the plaque.
(Source: Anonymous e-mail)
Of course according to the Google alerts, Karl Rove is running all over the country trying to convince people that Bush has a legacy to defend. What legacy? Can anyone suggest one thing he did as president that was good for the country? Just one? Anybody?
Tags: Bush or Nixon?, Who's Worse
December 4th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Mark Green, Democrat and former Public Advocate of New York City held a book reading at Barnes and Noble. He asked who would choose the Nixon presidency over the Bush regime. Every single person said they would take Nixon over Bush. The EPA, OSHA and the Grand Canyon were made in that older era.
December 4th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
As bad as Nixon was – and I was one of those protestors out there at the time and volunteered for McGovern in 1972, so I know firsthand – Bush has got him beat for “who’s worst.”
You might want to add to the list:
11. Nixon attempted to bypass the Bill of Rights. Bush and Gonzales shredded it.
December 5th, 2008 at 9:24 am
Sweets said, via e-mail:
Bush!!! Hands down!!! No competition.
December 5th, 2008 at 9:25 am
From Bonnie, via e-mail:
Hilarious. I loved it.
Only a fool would think Nixon was worse. Where’s Wallace been all these years? There’s nothing whatsoever about Bush to be able to defend or to eulogize. Wallace’s words are probably the best that anyone has spoken of Bush in four years at least. He probably voted for McCain-Palin, too.
I think Bush’s brainless but ardent cronyism should be on the list of his crimes. . . . How does he compare with Nixon there?
December 5th, 2008 at 9:26 am
From WANNETTA, via e-mail:
BUSH THE WORSE PRESIDENT IN AMERICAN HISTORY
CHENNEY WORSE VICE PRESIDENT IN AMERICAN HISTORY BOTH
NEED TO BE IMPEACHED
December 5th, 2008 at 9:26 am
From Tommy, via e-mail:
Richard Nixon was an angel compared to GWB.
December 5th, 2008 at 9:27 am
From Tom, via e-mail:
For a scathingly funny opinion of Bush as the worst president ever:
http://dereau.blogspot.com/2006/09/history-of-bush-foretold.html
December 5th, 2008 at 9:28 am
From William, via email:
Oh yeah Nixon’s approach to marijuana and it’s users was as lethal and horrid a ‘domestic’ issue as you can get… his words on the problem was to “rip the guts out of those ppl” …
Nixon got caught – so don’t be so quick to placate this monster.
4 dead in Ohio … ring a bell?
December 5th, 2008 at 9:29 am
From Richard, via e-mail:
The four did in Ohio were killed by the Ohio National Guard, sent in by the Governor of Ohio. Governors are the Commanders in Chief of their states national guard, so you can’t blame Nixon for that. So that leaves you with marijuana, and I don’t think you can write off an entire domestic policy framework over one issue.
Nixon did, however, create OSHA, EPA, federal Affirmative Action, SSI, and indexed Social Security for inflation. Those are some pretty progressive programs if you ask me.
December 5th, 2008 at 9:29 am
From Sweets, via e-mail:
As far as actions, Bush is and was much worse than Nixon. AS far as what was Nixon’s mind set, we will never know and probably best we do not know. God only knows what is in a person’s mind –anyone and everyone. Can you imagine our country without laws !!!!!
December 5th, 2008 at 9:30 am
From Larisa, via e-mail:
Nixon also signed the Endangered Species Act, which Bush and his cronies have done their best to gut.
It’s really sad when we have a president so horrible that he makes us nostalgic for Richard Nixon of all people.
December 6th, 2008 at 2:56 am
From Robert, via e-mail:
I think Bush is a sociopath, in that he goes about all day / every day with a sincere mixture of doesn’t known and doesn’t care about the results of what he does. As such, he might be legally insane. Nixon was sane, though an asshole. As such, I view Bush as worse than Nixon, by dent of madness.