Quote of the day: Judgment day

History will be the judge of an administration and I — when you make tough decisions like I have had to make, you obviously ruffle some feathers and I can understand why people would disagree with some of the decisions I made. […]

[I]t's very hard to write the future history of America before the current history hasn't been fully written.

That's George W. Bush speaking to Chris Wallace on Fox News, February 11, 2008.

No Republican has mentioned Bush in years, but I'll mention him today because Bush's standing among presidents is currently last among two-term presidents and fifth-from-last among all presidents. And that's after only five years. History could just be clearing its throat here, finding its voice before it really sings out.

Bonus quote: An interview between George W. Bush and Chris Wallace -- son of former President George H. W. Bush (who looks better every day by comparison) and “60 Minutes” reporter Mike “The Hammer” Wallace, respectively -- makes one imagine both fathers rued the day their feckless, Fredo-esque, but no-doubt-beloved sons took up the family business. As Wallace the Younger put it to the ex-President with becoming modesty:

You and I are members of very different levels of a special fraternity.

Well put, Mr. Wallace.