NEITHER THE lEFT NOR THE rIGHT COULD FORGIVE HIM BEING CONSERVATIVE...:

The caricatures of Bush tended to render him as either a clueless cowboy who was easily manipulated by the likes of Dick Cheney, or as a warmongering theocrat eager to bring about the Christian apocalypse. The portrayal of Bush as the right's useful idiot has been particularly enduring, as seen in Will Ferrell's portrayal of Bush on SNL, Oliver Stone's W. (2008), and Adam McKay's Vice (2018).

As noted by David Martin Jones and M. L. R. Smith's study of music produced in response the War of Terror, frequent protest songs released throughout the War in Iraq featured "ad hominem attacks on Bush's character and the general charge that the War on Terror was simply a pretext for a war-for-oil." One popular Twitter account, "G.W. Bush-era Leftism", offers daily reminders of the rancour that was directed at Bush, particularly with constant artistic allusions to Hitler.

Most shocking were the conspiracy theories which claimed Bush knew or was somehow involved in the 9/11 plot, supposedly using it as a pretence for war and to profit. Throughout the 2000s, survey after survey revealed that a significant amount of Democratic voters entertained the idea that "George W. Bush intentionally allowed the 9/11 attacks to take place" -- a feeling that is still alive and well today. As time has gone on, people's selective memory about the Bush years have led many to forget that most Americans, as well as most members of Congress, supported the War in Iraq at first.

But Bush had plenty of critics on the right as well. The whole concept of an "alternative-right" grew out of 80's era disputes between so called neoconservatives and paleo-conservatives. During the George W. Bush administration, the conflict was renewed. In addition to some paleoconservative stalwarts like Patrick Buchanan, the critics were a loose group of conservatives and libertarians who were bound together by their hatred of Bush and opposition the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Founded in 2002, The American Conservative relentlessly attacked Bush, even encouraging its readers to support John Kerry. Buchanan indicted the Bush Doctrine and dubbed the 43rd president "Woodrow W. Bush." These paleo-conservatives took Bush's "compassionate conservatism" as an attack on "real" conservatism. But even 9/11 conspiracy theorists could be bipartisan, with Republican figures like Ron Paul and Greg Brannon, playing footsies with 9/11 truthers. [...]

Some of Bush's harshest historical critics have started to re-evaluate their analyses, such as Sean Wilentz, Princeton historian and long-time Clintonian Democrat. Wilentz had once called Bush a contender for the status of worst president ever, but has recently reconsidered some of his condemnations, even complimenting how Bush in the wake of 9/11 "rallied the country's spirit while cautioning Americans not to turn their grief and outrage into reprisals against Muslims."

Bush has concentrated on the present, focusing on his humanitarian work, leaving the past to historians

In a recent post for Arc Digital, Cathy Young -- herself no fan of Bush -- sympathetically emphasised the "unprecedented crisis" Bush faced following 9/11, reminding readers that many of Bush's efforts in the War on Terror were "overwhelmingly supported and even demanded by traumatised Americans". Even so, with the Iraq War behind us, the recent withdrawal from Afghanistan, as well as the apparent end to the War on Terror, no doubt critical works focused on those conflicts will continue to question their efficacy.

George W. Bush is aware of his controversial status and poor standing among historians. But while his vice president, Dick Cheney, has been defensive about their choices, Bush has generally chosen to stay out of the public eye, rarely commenting on politics (much to the disappointment of Never Trump Republicans during the 2020 Election).

Instead, Bush has concentrated on the present, focusing on his humanitarian work, leaving the past to historians. This was made clear upon the publication of his presidential memoir, Decision Points, which ended with the statement, "Whatever the verdict on my presidency, I'm comfortable with the fact that I won't be around to hear it. That's a decision point only history will reach." Bush has surrendered his presidency to the longer judgement of history, and hindsight is rarely 20/20.

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