Reuters has an article on President Bush’s recent comments at a summit with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexican President Felipe Calderon.

He said: “We’re not in recession, we’re in a slowdown”

This, ladies and gentlemen, is reason number #452 that Mr. Bush will go down in history as one of the worst US presidents.

Now, technically he’s right (ghastly, I know). The textbook definition of a recession is at least two quarters of negative growth in an economy. We’re not there yet, but all the signs on the road point are pointing to one, perhaps even a deep one.

The reason that this comment strikes me so hard, is the tone. He knows a recession is on the horizon. His advisers have shurley briefed him on that. He could have made a statement on things every day americans need to do in order to protect themselves during tough times. He could have made a statement calling for americans to rally and support the economy. Instead, he asked Congress not to raise taxes. That might be a good idea, but not an inspiring one.