WONDERFUL QUOTE – AT 5:23 P.M. ET:  Reader Don Hodun refers us to this quote from David McCullough's biography of Harry S. Truman.  It's from the section in which McCullough describes Truman staff members' view of their boss:

And all of them, it seems, admired his  sense of history, which they saw as one of his greatest strengths.  "If a man is acquainted with what other people have experienced at this desk," Truman would say sitting in the Oval Office, "it will be easier for him to go through a similar experience.  It is ignorance that causes most mistakes.  The man who sits here ought to know his American history, at least."  When Truman talked of presidents past - Jackson, Polk, Lincoln - it was as if he had known them personally.  If ever there was a "clean break from all that had gone before" he would say, the result would be chaos.

Mr. Hodun writes, "I cannot help but think our current president's apparent disregard for history and precedent makes ol' Harry rather prescient." 

COMMENT:  I agree with Mr. Hodun.  Obama was sold to us as a highly educated man.  Well, he may be highly lettered, but educated he is not.  He actually seems rather shallow and uninformed.  And he knows nothing of real history. 

Harry Truman was hounded from office, and is now seen as a great or near-great president.  I think George W. Bush's standing will improve dramatically in years to come. 

Obama?  You decide.

February 12, 2010