After the departure of Reagan, the GOP thought they could rule forever. Bush I was competent and qualified, but not ideologically pure enough for them and they abandoned him.

Clinton was a successful and popular President, two terms of
peace and prosperity. The Republicans couldn't touch him, in spite
of his philandering.

So Dubya was supposed to be the new Reagan. They put all their hopes behind him. Instead, he turned out to be the new Hoover.

The GOP immediately dedicated themselves to
preventing Obama from becoming the new Roosevelt, even if it meant wrecking the American economy, its credit and shutting down the government with unprecedented obstruction and treachery. They failed.

Not only did he survive his first term, he easily won a second.

I think he will be remembered as the new Lincoln.