Before Bush Derangement Syndrome There Was the Lincoln Variety

History is often consoling for how it puts into perspective the sturm und drang of the moment. From "The Education of Henry Adams", substitute Cheney for Seward and Bush for Lincoln and admire the similarities between London Lincoln-haters and American Bush-haters:

London was altogether beside itself on one point, in especial; it created a nightmare of its own, and gave it the shape of Abraham Lincoln. Behind this it placed another demon, if possible more devilish, and called it Mr. Seward. In regard to these two men, English society seemed demented. Defence was useless; explanation was vain; one could only let the passion exhaust itself. One's best friends were as unreasonable as enemies, for the belief in poor Mr. Lincoln's brutality and Seward's ferocity became a dogma of popular faith... The coarse cruelty of Lincoln and his hirelings was notorious. He never doubted that the Federals made a business of harrowing the tenderest feelings of women -- particularly of women -- in order to punish their opponents. On quite insufficient evidence he burst into violent reproach. Had Adams carried in his pocket the proofs that the reproach was unjust, he would have gained nothing by showing them. At that moment Thackeray, and all London society with him, needed the nervous relief of expressing emotion; for if Mr. Lincoln was not what they said he -- was what were they?

Adams also spoke of "reading newspaper accounts of the incapacity of Mr. Lincoln and the brutality of Mr. Seward -- or vice versa." Deja vu, as Bush and Cheney and Rumsfeld took turns being brutal or incompetent.