It appears that Chimpy Bush is finally beginning to get some recognition for the truly historic nature of his presidency

I don't think anyone can accuse DownWithTyranny of being slow to recognize the historic dimension of the Chimpy Bush presidency. Howie has never been shy about describing Chimpy as the worst president in U.S. history.

Now it appears that the rest of the world may be catching up. Princeton historian Sean Wilentz' blistering new Rolling Stone cover story is headlined: "The Worst President in History?"

Personally, I have a sentimental fondness for Warren G. Harding, who set a standard of sorts for not giving a good goddamn about the country's business, while making the kit and caboodle available for plundering. Still, even with the eternal X factor of Harding's death in office, so that we can never know for sure to what depths his administration might have sunk, I have to admit that his claims to supremacy pale beside our Chimpy's.

After all, wasn't the whole purpose of this presidency to turn the country over to a nest of the vilest, most brutal, sociopathic, psychopathic and megalomaniacal gangs bestriding the nation? It was just a bonus that Chimpy himself rose above his role as Supreme Tool to add to the mix a whole catastrophic dimension of messianic lunacy, cretinism and viciousness.

There is some small comfort for those of us who have been dismissed by more "sensible" and "balanced" and "responsible" commentators as "extremists" and "Bush-haters" and "Bush-bashers." Since, say, the second or third year of Chimpy's presidency, once we had a chance to take a proper reckoning of the man and the people driving his presidency, it has seemed to me that anyone who doesn't loathe George W. Bush and everything he stands for and everyone who stands with him is mentally and morally incompetent.

Here's how Professor Wilentz launches his consideration:

George W. Bush's presidency appears headed for colossal historical disgrace. Barring a cataclysmic event on the order of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, after which the public might rally around the White House once again, there seems to be little the administration can do to avoid being ranked on the lowest tier of U.S. presidents. And that may be the best-case scenario. Many historians are now wondering whether Bush, in fact, will be remembered as the very worst president in all of American history.