Note: This originally appeared in the February 2nd, 2010 edition of the Tufts Daily.

January 20^th marked the one year anniversary of President Obama’s inauguration, an event so fresh in my mind it feels like yesterday. That day, whilst working at my then job of dutiful factotum to a crotchety, retired Harvard professor, I couldn’t find a room that didn’t have some device broadcasting coverage of the event. Despite the bitter cold, I maintained inner warmth. My boss and his wife, having come of age in the segregated South, were overwhelmed; change could come to America, they thought, as it unfolded before our eyes and ears.

Now, enough of that sappy stuff. I could write an evaluation of President Obama’s first year in office; however, there are plenty of these out there on the blogosphere. I mention Obama’s inauguration not simply to bring some nostalgia to a bleak political landscape. Obama’s first day in office was also Bush’s last. Most folks, including the current President, choose to put the terrible mistakes of the Bush-Cheney years behind them and engage the problems of the present and the future. Unfortunately, many continue to compare Obama’s handling of national security to Bush’s, claiming that Obama is endangering the nation while Bush “kept us safe.” This persistently popular meme is indisputably false.

Rudy Giuliani claims that "We had no domestic attacks under Bush, we've had one under Obama." OK… the World Trade Center, Mr. Mayor? Remember those Twin Towers in Manhattan? Whatever happened to ‘em? Ignoring the fact that the worst terrorist attack on American soil happened on Bush’s watch is beyond stupidity. Despite signs of danger, such as the now infamous CIA memo, “Bin Laden Determined to Strike within the U.S.”, which warns of “patterns of suspicious activity in this country consistent with preparations for hijackings”, the Bush Administration was too preoccupied with its imminent invasion of Iraq to take this threat seriously. According to the 2004 9/11 Commission, counter-terrorism officials "were so worried about an impending disaster that they considered resigning and going public with their concerns." It is unclear as to whether Bush could have prevented the 9/11 attacks. What is clear is that he certainly did not try very hard to do so.

Let’s examine the post-9/11 era. Many claim that, due to his policies of torture, suspension of habeas corpus, illegal wiretaps and a global War on Terror, Bush kept this country safe. Oh, gosh. Where to begin? Well, there was the 2002 attack against El Al ticket counter at LAX, in which Hesham Mohamed Hadayet opened fire upon a crowd, killing two in what was designated by the Justice Department as “an act of international terrorism.” Then, we have the anthrax attacks of 2001. There was the 2006 UNC SUV attack conducted by Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar to “avenge the deaths or murders of Muslims around the world.” Don’t forget the 2002 D.C. snipers who were indicted on terrorism charges by the state of Virginia and were subsequently executed. Before the Underpants Bomber, there was the Shoe Bomber, Richard Reid, who, like Abdulmutallab, only failed in his mission due to technical malfunctions.

Also, we consistently ignore the numerous cases of domestic terrorism aimed at abortion providers that occurred during Bush’s administration. Surely, Bush should keep these folks safe as well. If the argument only maintains that Bush kept us safe from Islamic extremist terrorism, this is demonstrably untrue. However, this picking and choosing of what constitutes Bush “keeping us safe” and what doesn’t is disingenuous in itself. Bush certainly didn’t keep Virginia Tech students safe. Some may say that you can’t expect Bush to stop every incident of mass violence. I agree. Conversely, you cannot credit him with “keeping us safe” when things seem like they’re going well.

My writing this article was sparked by a Gallup poll that reported that 44% of Americans want Bush back. Oh, how quickly we forget. Beyond the relatively insignificant issue of terrorism, at least in comparison to the other pressing issues of our time, the Bush Administration did anything but keep us safe. It engaged our country in a three trillion dollar war on terror with still no end in sight, refused to take action against or even acknowledge the threat of climate change, encouraged Wall Street to gamble away our financial stability, and failed to address America’s broken health care system. In 2008, the poverty rate hit an eleven year high, with 13.2% of the population living in poverty. Bush did not keep the poor safe. Adjusted for inflation, the median household income was lower in 2008 than it was in 1998. Bush did not keep the middle class safe. In 2004, the richest 1% of Americans held 34% of the country’s wealth. Bush certainly kept the rich, and their money, safe.

I don’t write this as an opportunity to bash Bush nor will I use my arguments to excuse Obama for his failings. After a year in office, Obama owns this country and all of its problems. I understand that terrorist attacks have occurred under Obama’s watch; this is to be expected. Shit happens. In our interconnected world, all it takes is one lone wolf extremist to inflict so much harm onto so many. In such a world, no one man can be credited with keeping an entire nation safe. To hide behind the illusion that Bush kept us safe in order to take cheap shots at Obama is intellectually dishonest and displays great ignorance of our recent history.

Bush baby... get it?

EDIT 2/18/10: I thought I should mention that information has recently come to my attention regarding Bush and a pre-9/11 plan for a military strike against Bin Laden. The Bush Administration had prepared a plan for a worldwide war against al Qaeda prior to the "Pearl Harbor moment" that was 9/11. Reflecting on this, it does not surprise me. Much of Bush's foreign policy found its basis in the policies of the Project for the New American Century, a neocon think tank which encouraged the U.S. military to "fight and decisively win multiple, simultaneous major theater wars." Presumably, Afghanistan, Iraq, North Korea and Iran were these theaters.