They were bad. He may be worse.

[PJMcK]

Here's a terrific assessment of Trump's first year in office.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/20/opinion/sunday/trump-bad-presidents-history.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-region®ion=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region

Historians have long looked to a few key criteria in evaluating the beginning of a president’s administration. First and foremost, any new president should execute public duties with a commanding civility and poise befitting the nation’s chief executive, but without appearing aloof or haughty. As George Washington observed at the outset of his presidency in 1789, the president cannot in any way “demean himself in his public character” and must act “in such a manner as to maintain the dignity of office.”

New presidents also try to avoid partisan and factional rancor, and endeavor to unite the country in a great common purpose. In line with their oath of office, they dedicate themselves to safeguarding and even advancing democratic rights and to protecting the nation against foreign enemies. They avoid even the slightest imputation of corruption, of course political but above all financial.

Donald Trump, in each area, has been a colossal failure. The truest measure of his performance comes from comparing his first year not with those of the best — Washington, Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt — but with those of the worst.

(snip)

Mr. Trump’s first year has been an unremitting parade of disgraces that have demeaned him as well as the dignity of his office, and he has shown that this is exactly how he believes he should govern.

It's an excellent review of Trump's presidency.

[RKP5637]

1. He's an absolute disgrace! He reminds me of a crappy CEO blaming his failures on everyone else. n/t

[BumRushDaShow]

2. This was the OP author's good summary

linked to the opening -

Historians have long looked to a few key criteria in evaluating the beginning of a president’s administration. First and foremost, any new president should execute public duties with a commanding civility and poise befitting the nation’s chief executive, but without appearing aloof or haughty. As George Washington observed at the outset of his presidency in 1789, the president cannot in any way “demean himself in his public character” and must act “in such a manner as to maintain the dignity of office.”

<...>

Mr. Trump’s first year has been an unremitting parade of disgraces that have demeaned him as well as the dignity of his office, and he has shown that this is exactly how he believes he should govern. Most important, he is the first president to fail to defend the nation from an attack on our democracy by a hostile foreign power — and to resist the investigation of that attack. He is the first to enrich his private interests, and those of his family, directly and openly.

He is the first president to denounce the press not simply as unfair but as “the enemy of the American people.” He is the first to threaten his defeated political opponent with imprisonment. He is the first to have denigrated friendly countries and allies as well as a whole continent with racist vulgarities.

George Washington warned that the actions of a president “may have great and durable consequences from their having been established at the commencement of a new general government.” If history is any guide — especially in light of the examples closest to his, of Buchanan and Andrew Johnson — Mr. Trump’s first year portends a very unhappy ending.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/20/opinion/sunday/trump-bad-presidents-history.html

And as to this part of the above -

Mr. Trump’s first year portends a very unhappy ending.

his "unhappy ending" would be OUR happy ending.

[dawg day]

3. What's amazing is he has no desire to improve

It's like he has no interest in being any good at this. I mean, I read that Washington quote and I sit up a little straighter and think, "I need to strive for that."

Trump hears that quote, and thinks, "Washington. Fooey. I'm the best president ever. Washington can't teach me anything."

He seems to have no sense that he could actually work to do better.

But what does he care. Really, all he wants is to feel powerful and make other people feel powerless. It's just sort of shocking. He doesn't care at all about improving the country or himself. This makes him kind of inhuman, really. He doesn't care to improve? He doesn't have any sense of obligation to help society? That's an instinct ingrained in all species-- to preserve and help the species-- and yet he doesn't seem to have that at all. So why on earth would he run for president? (I know-- "power!&quot

I will never understand how his voters don't see that he profoundly cares only about himself.

[Blue_Adept]

5. Even more amazing is the diehard 30% that adore him BECAUSE of those qualities

My ire is less with them but with the elected Republican officials who allow Trump to get away with it. It is them that have ruined the republican "brand"

[Soxfan58]

4. Trump does not respect the office

And we can't respect him.

[Arkansas Granny]

8. He sees it as a prize, not a duty or a responsibility.

He only wanted the attention and celebrity that comes with the position, not the actual job of governing.

[dalton99a]

9. +1

[oberliner]

6. No one was worse than George W Bush

Let's not forget.

[Irish_Dem]

10. I agree. Bush was far worse in terms of deaths, injury, and financial ruin

of Americans and elsewhere.
And he gave rise to Isis.

[thbobby]

11. Bush, Trump what do they have in common?

Severe damage to our county.

Obtained office by chicanery.

Both elected without a majority.

Both draft dodgers.

Both intellectually challenged (to put it mildly).

Oh yeah, both GOP.

Bush was better at pretending to care. Katrina showed he only cared about some Americans.

[oberliner]

12. Difference is the many many lives lost in the Bush wars

[thbobby]

13. Hopefully

Bush will end up having killed more than trump. trump has the mentality to kill many more than bush did.

[Roland99]

7. Spot-on