With support from the University of Richmond

History News Network puts current events into historical perspective. Subscribe to our newsletter for new perspectives on the ways history continues to resonate in the present. Explore our archive of thousands of original op-eds and curated stories from around the web. Join us to learn more about the past, now.

Now Appearing: George W. Bush

When the hip-hop star Kanye West says he can “connect with” George W. Bush, perhaps it is time to think about whether America has begun to reconsider its 43rd president.

It was Mr. West, after all, who delivered one of the harshest attacks on Mr. Bush during his eight years in office. When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, Mr. West memorably charged that “George Bush doesn’t care about black people.”

After learning last week that Mr. Bush considered that the lowest moment of his presidency, Mr. West went on a Houston radio station to take it back. Noting that he too was accused of bigotry for interrupting Taylor Swift during an MTV awards ceremony last year, Mr. West said he now sympathizes with how his criticism stung Mr. Bush. “I really more connect with him just on a humanitarian level,” Mr. West said....
Read entire article at NYT