Just how catastrophic is George Bush?

The NYT comes out today with an op-ed mocking the meaningless rotating of deckchairs within the Bush junta, cataloging the various disasters of the junta, and caps it with a too-polite assertion that it's too soon to tell how history will judge this bunch of criminals.

Perhaps the editorial board should have read the newest issue of Rolling Stone, where Sean Wilentz, one of our leading historians, does exactly that.

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.

Colossal historical disgrace? Yes, that sounds about right.