Learning In Slow Motion

The Onion predicted the Bush presidency eerily. If you haven't read it before, or recently, I recommend revisiting their article published on January 17, 2001 (and yes, it really was published before he took office):

Bush: 'Our Long National Nightmare of Peace and Prosperity is Finally Over'

It took the rest of America a lot longer to realize that this impatient, incurious, ideologue was a terrible leader. Apart from three spikes (for 9/11, the invasion of Iraq and the capture of Saddam Hussein) his popularity eroded at a slow, but amazingly consistent, rate:



It looks like the overwhelming evidence of Bush's incompetence gradually burrowed its way into the national brain.

Anyway, I'm feeling good about Obama's inauguration today. Some evidence of real change: Marty Lederman will be at the Office of Legal Council. I've followed his writings on Balkinization over the last few years. It's fair to say he'll offer a different perspective than John Yoo.