BUSH V. NIXON. Via Kevin Drum, Jonathan Schwarz at Tiny Revolution graphs the approval and disapproval ratings of George W. Bush and Richard Nixon. The similarity of their trajectories doesn't bode well for Bush's effort to revive his presidency, although the graphs also make it very clear that Bush did benefit politically, at least in the short term, from the invasion of Iraq, and also from the rallying around the flag that followed the Sept. 11 attacks. The temptation to see war as a route to public approval must consequently be very strong within the administration. Of course, Bush is still early enough in his second term that any other over-hasty or ill-considered interventions would still have time to go dreadfully awry before he leaves office, destroying his reputation for all eternity in a way he will never be able to fix once out of office. Surely a man now reportedly concerned with his legacy ought to also be concerned with that very real risk, and pursue a more certain course to rehabilitating himself in the eyes of history, such as -- oh, I don't know -- addressing the actual concerns of the nation he's governing.
--Garance Franke-Ruta
