White House aides say Bush, a history major at Yale University, likes to draw certain historical comparisons -- such as Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War -- because he believes they illustrate how his presidency and his policies on Iraq, terrorism and trade will be viewed after he's left the White House, The Washington Post reported Monday.

Historians are checking out Bush's place among presidents such as Lincoln, William McKinley and Harry S. Truman -- and Bush doesn't fare as well as those who were unpopular when they were alive, the Post said.

An informal survey of scholars found just two of 109 historians said Bush would be judged a success; a majority consider him the "worst president ever."

"It's all he has left," said Millsaps College history professor Robert McElvaine, who conducted the survey for the History News Network of George Mason University. "When your approval ratings are down around 20 (percent) to 28 percent and the candidate of your own party is trying to hide from being seen with you, history is your only hope."