It is risky to judge the full impact of any presidency without at least some historical perspective.

That is particularly true in the case of incumbents, where partisan passions are frequently inflamed, and may well drown rational discourse in the most reasoned persons.

If you doubt that, do a little reading of what some contemporary chroniclers of Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln had to say about them during their terms of office.

Having said that, it would seem that the balance of success and failures in the current presidency leans somewhat more to failure than success. Note that I say somewhat, not totally, or slightly.

As time passes, the Iraq War, which at this point looks to be Bush's most probable legacy, appears to be a error in judgement and policy of momentous proportions. As such it offsets several achievements of the presidency.

I would rate him as a 1.8 rounded to 2 at present. Many of the failings of the presidency are linked to an overweening hubris, particularly during the first term, and while that may have been dented by the onset of events, it is still clearly present.

It is too early to say, but it also appears that another legacy of this presidency may be a precipitous decline in the political fortunes of the GOP, perhaps for some time to come.