Clearly Sinking the Ship of State: The Presidency of George W. Bush does not paint a flattering portrait of the subject. If you are among those who wish to see the current president impeached or worse, you’ll enjoy this book immensely. If you are a staunch supporter of the president and his administration, don’t even read this review; your blood pressure can’t take it.

Walter Brasch is a journalism professor and syndicated newspaper columnist. This book draws from "Wanderings," the social issues column he has written since 1976. While he has covered a wide variety of topics in the column, he tells us in the preface that he has focused heavily on the Bush administration. "Never have I devoted so much ink to one presidency. Hopefully, never again will I have to," declares Brasch.

The columns are arranged chronologically, beginning with "Gigolos on the Campaign Trail" from February 2000, when John McCain appeared to be the best bet for a Republican presidential candidate. As he does several times throughout the book, Brasch draws our attention to the media’s fickle devotion to campaign coverage which, he suggests, led to McCain’s fall in popularity, and to the ethically-questionable strategies that pass for balanced reporting. The final column comes from April 2007, and lambastes "Leaders Afraid to Lead" for their refusal to initiate impeachment proceedings against the president.

The intervening pages take us for a stroll down memory lane that is at times disturbing (Bush’s penchant for shooting doves, the symbolic bird of peace), frightening (Operation TIPS, the Orwellian plan devised under John Ashcroft’s guidance which requires patriotic Americans to tattle on friends, family, and neighbors who say or do anything the snitch considers unusual), and downright baffling (a selection of George W Bush’s quotes).

Events have moved at breakneck speed during the years of the Bush II administration, forcing yesterday’s scandal to the back of the room while today’s scandal enjoys its fifteen minutes. These columns, written as the stories unfolded, remind us of how we perceived the world and the players at the moment of greatest impact. Do you remember the name of the first secretary of Homeland Security? (Hint: he was the man who suggested using duct tape to protect ourselves from airborne toxins.) How about the furor over Trent Lott’s comment at Strom Thurmond’s birthday party? Bonus points if you can recall why the U.S. attacked Iraq in March 2003 or which of the current presidential hopefuls have flip-flopped on their support of the war.

Brasch is witty, insightful, and bold in expressing his opinions. If you miss Molly Ivins and haven’t yet discovered Walter Brasch, Sinking the Ship of State is a life boat that may get you through the coming election year with your sense of humor and sanity intact.