Throwing around superlatives is rarely a good idea, especially when talking about current events -- and even in that subcategory, moreso when it comes to politics. So Rolling Stone's cover story about our commander in chief was a bit off-putting -- even to a guy like me, who is far from a friend of this administration and its malignant Capo di Tutti Capi. The pronouncement is not a new one, though. Long-time White House journalist and columnist Helen Thomas declared Bush to be the worst president in American history way back in January of 2003, when she told Torrence, California's Daily Breeze, "This is the worst president ever. He is the worst president in all of American history." And seeing as Thomas has covered the White House since the days of Kennedy, she ought to know.

The story makes for good reading, though, for anyone unfamiliar with the complete and colossal failures of George W. Bush, from domestic policy to foreign policy to the scads of investigations targeting those close to him. All in all, a good refresher course for the well-informed, and a great primer for the political novice. As is typical these days, Rolling Stone's political and news coverage far exceeds its musical coverage, the supposed central theme of the magazine. Instead, the news coverage makes Time and Newsweek look like weak-willed milquetoasts that don't have the strength to really dig in to tough stories, while the magazine's musical coverage is so far behind trends that it's still convinced The Strokes are the saviors of rock 'n' roll. In any case, this story's worth checking out. In stores now.

The Latest Rolling Stone, featuring the alleged worst president in American history