Hey, I Guess They All Read Rolling Stone

The pollsters at Quinnipiac University find that a third of Americans pronounce George W. Bush the Worst President… Ever.

Strong Democratic sentiment pushes President George W. Bush to the top of the list when American voters pick the worst U.S. President in the last 61 years. Bush is named by 34 percent of voters, followed by Richard Nixon at 17 percent and Bill Clinton at 16 percent, according to a Quinnipiac University national poll released today. Leading the list for best President since 1945 is Ronald Reagan with 28 percent, and Clinton with 25 percent.

Amazingly, some people are surprised or thrilled by this. They shouldn't be. Most presidents are hated until they're gone. The best expression of this was probably spoke by the fictionalized Richard Nixon, speaking to 18-year old president-elect Prez Rickard in issue 54 of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman.

Nothing you do in the White House matters. You know why not? Because as far as the mass of voting morons is concerned, while you're in office, you'll be the worst single president they've ever had. Until you stop. Then it's some other poor bastard's turn. And even that doesn't matter, because ten, twenty years later, they'll look back on you, and wonder why they didn't appreciate you when they had you. In hindsight even Warren Gamaliel Harding looks good. You, uh, following me?