Let’s be clear: Yes, Trump is even worse than Bush, and any denunciation of the current president’s hateful rhetoric is welcome. But viewing him favorably is a mistake.

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Furthermore, as Philip Bump pointed out, the same week Bush lamented a political debate “degraded by casual cruelty,” he appeared at fundraisers for Ed Gillespie, the Republican nominee for Virginia governor. Gillespie has adopted a Trump-esque approach to the general election, running ads deceptively linking illegal immigration and crime and trumpeting his support for Confederate statues. It seems Bush’s objections are based not on foolish policies or rude words, but merely whether the speaker is a friend of his.

This new view of Bush is part of a broader pattern of Democrats eulogizing the Republicans they once rightly ripped. In June, Joe Biden encouraged Mitt Romney to run for Senate. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) recently joked that “Wouldn’t it be nice if [Romney] were president of the United States?” Remember, Romney accepted Trump’s endorsement long after the latter had fueled the “birther” smears against President Barack Obama. Romney waged an unsuccessful campaign to run Trump’s State Department, eight months after Romney made a show of calling Trump a “fraud.” Romney’s domestic policy overlapped heavily with Trump’s, and whatever foreign policy differences they had are mooted by Romney’s groveling for secretary of state. Even Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) — who at least deserved a little praise for voting against the Obamacare repeal — should always have his legacy tied up in choosing as his running mate Sarah Palin, who more than any other politician over the past decade paved the way for Trump.