At historic moments in American journalism the great columnists of the day, such as Walter Lippmann and James “Scotty” Reston, would rise above the claptrap and address great matters of state at critical moments. America stands at such a moment today.

Recently former President George W. Bush gave a profound speech that may well have been his finest hour, warning of a society where discourse is degraded by casual cruelty, bigotry is emboldened and democracy is corroded by conspiracy theories and outright fabrication.

Sen. John McCain John Sidney McCainBiden's six best bets in 2016 Trump states Replacing Justice Ginsburg could depend on Arizona's next senator The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Washington on edge amid SCOTUS vacancy MORE (R-Ariz.) warned about the spread of a “half-baked, spurious nationalism” that reminds him of the years that preceded the Second War War, and the destruction and dysfunction of a Senate that conducts itself without the mutual respect and comity the founders envisioned for the great deliberative body.

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Sen. Jeff Flake Jeffrey (Jeff) Lane FlakeJeff Flake: Republicans 'should hold the same position' on SCOTUS vacancy as 2016 Republican former Michigan governor says he's voting for Biden Maybe they just don't like cowboys: The president is successful, some just don't like his style MORE (R-Ariz.) warns of a president who degrades our dialogue, lowers our standards, and bitterly divides our people against each other. Sen. Bob Corker Robert (Bob) Phillips CorkerHas Congress captured Russia policy? Tennessee primary battle turns nasty for Republicans Cheney clashes with Trump MORE (R-Tenn.) warned that the president could lead America into World War III and mourned that the president is debasing the nation.

Leading Democrats including former President Barack Obama Barack Hussein ObamaTwitter investigating automated image previews over apparent algorithmic bias Donald Trump delivers promise for less interventions in foreign policy Rush Limbaugh encourages Senate to skip hearings for Trump's SCOTUS nominee MORE, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerJacobin editor: Primarying Schumer would force him to fight Trump's SCOTUS nominee CNN's Toobin: Democrats are 'wimps' who won't 'have the guts' to add Supreme Court seats Republican senator says plans to confirm justice before election 'completely consistent with the precedent' MORE (D-N.Y.) and former Secretary of State John Kerry John Forbes KerryThe Memo: Warning signs flash for Trump on debates Divided country, divided church TV ads favored Biden 2-1 in past month MORE offer similar warnings and suggest the nation would be served by a dramatic change of course.

Something ominous and unprecedented is happening in America today. While our democracy is under attack from a Russian dictator who seeks to elect our president and divide our people, the president denies the fact of the crime. Mocking the words of Lincoln about slavery taken from the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, he divides our American house against itself almost every day, in almost every way, tearing apart the fabric of what holds us together.

Sen. Corker said it best. This debases our nation.

America is not a banana republic. It debases our nation when the president praises foreign dictators who murder and torture their people, and impugns the character or patriotism of Americans he treats like enemies on a list that is longer than the darkest dreams of Richard Nixon on his darkest days.

It debases our nation when the president governs like a schoolyard bully, demeans even some who work in his administration and wages vendettas against facts, truth, science and knowledge while calling our free press the enemy of the people.

It debases the nation when the president challenges the veracity of a Gold Star widow at her moment of bereavement.

It debases the nation when democratic allies dread the damage the president could do to their security, and when he tarnishes America’s reputation among friends of freedom everywhere.

It debases the nation when the president attacks black football players, insults a black congresswoman, slanders Hispanic immigrants as rapists and criminals, attacks the judicial integrity of a Hispanic federal judge because he is Hispanic, exploits bigotry and fear against Muslims, and appeals to racists so strongly that he is praised by Nazis and members of the Ku Klux Klan.

Sadly the courage and clarity of Sen. Corker is met by cowardice and complicity from many who admire his words but lack the conscience and courage to say them.

Our spirits should surge with patriotic hope when leaders rise to answer Trump’s endless falsehoods with America’s time-honored truths. Our hearts should surge with patriotic love when Sen. McCain courageously battles for his life and fiercely defends our democracy with the honor and valor that are his trademark.

It would perform an indescribable service to democracy if McCain’s vision comes true, and Democratic and Republican Senate leaders re-create the Senate’s finest hours and seek truly bipartisan agreements on taxes, health care and decency for the Dreamers!

I hope every living former president speaks out together to protect the nation from being further debased by a president who never learned that the truth sets us free, our Americanism binds us together and our unity keeps us safe.

Budowsky was an aide to former Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Texas) and former Rep. Bill Alexander (D-Ark.), who was chief deputy majority whip of the U.S. House of Representatives. He holds an LLM in international financial law from the London School of Economics.