He Knows Civil War! 
Civil War Bookshelf has discovered that all are not enamored with the Lincoln-ifcation of Barack Obama.
“The Fourth International is fed up with Lincoln/Obama comparisons in the mass media:
‘Attempts to portray Obama as the heir of Lincoln’s legacy involve a grotesque historical and political falsification. Lincoln will forever be associated with one of the great progressive causes in history—the emancipation of the slaves and the destruction of the Southern slave-owning oligarchy in the American Civil War (1861-1865). Obama, on the other hand, bears only a negative and reactionary relationship to the great political questions of his day.'”
Trotskyism is a fantasy wonderland of factions, fractions, and preparatory committees to really do something about getting together. The Bookshelf has stumbled on one of the many, many groups, grouplets and ghost armies claiming to Be the Fourth International, World Party of Socialist Revolution
, although it casually insulted them by calling them Trotskyites, not the vastly preferred Trotskyists.
CWB is quoting from the International Committee of the Fourth International, whose dominant affiliate is the US Socialist Equality Party [perhaps the lamest name in Trot history].
Here’s what the US Trot Family Tree looks like [the Obama denouncers are 6th from the left at the bottom]:
 A thousand schools of thought contend worldwide for the 4th International Franchise, with some combination of 4s, hammers, and sickle branding.
          
And yes, t-shirts are available! 
Blogger Dimitri Rotov points out that the civil war history is often treated as fodder for random claims about freedom, destiny and personalities. His Civil War Bookshelf recognises that splintery though they may be, the Trots at least try to engage in real discussion.
“At this point in the ongoing orgy of “public history” I’m desperate for some intellectual standard in historical evaluation. I’ll even take it from the communists. “
He’s Back! 
Pop strumpet Brittany Spears, wearing a saucy salute to our former leader:Â will the fairytale like success of plucky outsider Ron Howard’s Frost/Nixon spark a new generation of Nixon loathing and remembrance?
We can only pray.
Another dreaming of riding the hoped for tidal wave of Nixon mania is the breathlessly awaited The Watchmen film. The epic graphic novel features Nixon’s superhero sparked Vietnam victory, which then allows constitutional tinkering so he may go beyond two terms.
Size Matters 
The George W. Bush Presidential Library has yet to announce a design or break ground, but it has already grown by 20,000 square feet over the last 18 months. The Dallas Morning News reports the behemoth is now planned for 207,000 square feet “akin to an average Wal-Mart Super Center.” That is twice the size of Bush Senior’s library, and only 60,000 square feet short of the Reagan Library, which holds Air Force One.
It’s an ever shape-shifting object. Â Â Fundraising for the complex is going poorly, and the library/museum parts are shrinking by 5,000 square feet even as the Fantastic Freedom Institute continues to swell. The hoped for legacy enhancer will now fill 66,000 square feet, up from the 40,000 planned in 2007.Â
Survey Says 
C-SPAN’s presidential historian survey holds many thrills: the inexorable rise of Bill Clinton, how far from bottom    
George W. Bush has settled, but the historians themselves hold their own excitement.
Who are these guys?
The mysteries of “presidential historian” credentialing are many, and among this crew are some rather odd characters.
In his writings Joseph Persico confused Teddy and Franklin Roosevelt, confused Teddy’s daughter’s name with his sister’s, and got the year Roosevelt was elected in his own right wrong.
Stanley Renshon is perhaps best known for utterly missing the point of Stephen Colbert’s legendary appearance at the White House Correspondents Dinner.  
Colbert’s jolly mockery of the media’s deference to President Bush was the evening’s theme, but in Renshon’s view it was all terrible les majesty aimed at Bush.
“It is a testament to Mr. Colbert’s lack of perspective that he could even consider making such remarks. It is also a testament to the view, that he apparently shares, that when it comes to Mr. Bush, no level of crass rudeness is inappropriate…He owes the President and Mrs. Bush an apology.“
The utterly weird Paul Kengor tosses off articles with titles like “What Bush And Moses Have In Common,” and loses himself in reveries over Ronald Reagan’s life-guarding and the 77 lives he claims he saved:
“I believe it’s not an exaggeration to draw a straight line from Reagan at the Rock River to Reagan at the White House.“
Carl Sferrazza Anthony’s claim to fame is as Historian for the highly dubious National First Ladies Library, absorbing most of their salaries not paid to the wife of their former Congressional patron.
A Cry For Help 
Laura Bush’s glazed look was much commented upon while her husband served as president. Now the shocking truth can be revealed: Laura Bush is actually drug and plastic surgery ravaged Betty Ford!
A Ford In Her Future  
   
Texas sculptor Scott Sustek is creating a statue for Austin’s Laura Bush Library, under construction in the state capitol. 
 The former First Lady posed for him and submitted to measurements, and she and her staff appear to have approved his Ford-ifying.
