George W. Bush left office as one of the most reviled presidents in modern history—even by many Republicans’ estimation—but he’s found a path to rehabilitation: reminding everyone how much worse Donald Trump is.

On Thursday, Bush gave a speech in New York that Aaron Blake of The Washington Post described as “an unexpected and rather eloquent speech against Trumpism.” The speech didn’t mention Trump at all, in fact. “We’ve seen nationalism distorted into nativism, forgetting the dynamism that immigration has always brought to America,” Bush said. “We have seen the return of isolationist sentiments—forgetting that American security is directly threatened by the chaos and despair of distant places, where threats such as terrorism, infectious disease, criminal gangs and drug trafficking tend to emerge.” Bush also contended that “people of every race, religion, and ethnicity can be fully and equally American. It means that bigotry or white supremacy in any form is blasphemy against the American creed.... Bullying and prejudice in our public life sets a national tone, provides permission for cruelty and bigotry, and compromises the moral education of children.”

Liberals were heartened by his words:

George W. Bush just used the words "white supremacy" in calling out the racism of Trump in a nationally-televised speech. Wow. — Charles Clymer🏳️‍🌈 (@cmclymer) October 19, 2017

And here we are: George W. Bush is morally outraged by what he sees in today's GOP. https://t.co/i3Vvpj9Y8u — Peter Daou (@peterdaou) October 19, 2017

W. Turned me from ardent republican to a democrat. Still a democrat, but would basically pay to have W back at this point. — Tom Nikl 🤔 (@Tom_Nikl) October 19, 2017

Even Esquire’s Charles Pierce, who loathes Bush, couldn’t help himself, writing that “it was [a] very effective speech, and I agreed with every diphthong, and I have no idea how to feel about that.”

It’s undeniable that Bush’s speech was a major political event. Former presidents rarely attack sitting presidents, especially those from the same political party. But Bush doesn’t deserve such praise. The speech was as fundamentally flawed as the speaker was. The alternative Bush offered to Trumpism is just a rehash of failed policies, and his criticisms, while valid, are rendered moot by an uncomfortable truth: He’s complicit in the rise of Trumpism.

