Caution: this is an Insomnia Post. Poor writing may be contained within.

It had to happen eventually. George Walker Bush, the United States’ 43rd president, has achieved the impossible. He has surpassed his father and tied Jimmy Carter for the 2nd least popular president of all time, currently sitting at a dismal 28% in the latest CBS poll.

Now, for a little perspective, I point you at this little nugget, discussing the most and least popular presidents in as long as we’ve bothered to record it. I find it intriguing to compare Dubya to Aitch-Dubya.

Not surprisingly, the numbers tend to spike in times of war. The record holder for highest approval rating? President George W. Bush, who topped out at 90% in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. His father is the runner-up, with an 89% rating during the first Gulf War. Harry Truman scored 87% in April, 1945, following FDR’s death and during the final stages of World War II. FDR achieved 84% after Pearl Harbor.

The all-time worst numbers belong to Harry Truman (23%), who also holds the record for the biggest range in approval rating. George H. W. Bush eventually sank to 29%. Carter hit 28%, and Nixon was at 24% before he resigned.

So add that up. George HW Bush went from 89% down to 29%. His son went from 90% to 28%. Congratulations, Bushie, you managed to one-up your dad in both directions, and you broke his record for the most squandered national unity, trust, and approval in our young nation’s history. You should be proud.

I watched Why We Fight last night, and that really pounded this point home to me. Thinking about Jacques Chirac saying “we are all Americans” (not in the film, but it did happen), and seeing on screen demonstrations in Tehran in SUPPORT of the United States and our fight against the terrorists who attacked us, then thinking about Freedom Fries and our battle with Iran now, well… it depressed me.

If nothing else, Bush’s presidency can be defined by his haphazard, or perhaps bullheaded, defiance of international goodwill and subsequent ruining of his country’s good standing both inside its borders and out.