Grading the President

摘要

A 21st century visionary? A failed adventurer abroad? Six scholars suggest how history will judge George W. Bush's first term in office-and compare him with his predecessors. Historians evaluating George W. Bush's first term will focus on foreign policy and, most of all, 9/11.1 think they will criticize him for his early reaction, for not returning at once to Washington, D.C. Although the White House says it was worried about threats to Air Force One, it's worth noting that Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill didn't hesitate to enter war zones during World War Ⅱ. And Lyndon Johnson, who didn't know at first whether a conspiracy might be behind the killing of John F, Kennedy, didn't hesitate to return to the capital. That said, Bush subsequently responded fairly well to 9/11, speaking effectively for the nation and then going into Afghanistan in a measured and sensible way that gave the country some sense of an appropriate response to 9/11.