I think the notion of respecting the office even if you don't respect the office holder in this day and age is quaint, to say the least. While the left is certainly guilty of saying some unfair stuff about GWB and failing to "respect the office" while he was sitting in it, the republicans have failed to uphold that notion far more egregiously than even the worst of the democrats. The right generally equates that type civility with weakness and considers it "unmanly" nowadays. Does anyone really believe the average knuckle-dragging trump supporter, like the shirtless guy with all the tattoos screaming "make me a burrito" at a trump rally last year, is going to appreciate me respectfully shaking trump's hand and expressing my deep respect for the office while the man in it in 2017 is making a mockery of it? No. He's going to think I'm some weakling homo who has shown by trying to be civil and nice I'm worthy of nothing but mockery. We started to really lose that type of civility during the Clinton presidency when the republicans went full in on the disrespect factor, whether it was mocking Bill Clinton or his wife. To the point now where there is little upside seen in being respectful. I used to be very big on "respect the office" but anymore, I don't know why I would.
People can believe what they want (and that's the problem here, people believing what they want and not what is demonstrably true) but one side here has been worse than the other. But we live in a society where one side can not possibly admit that they may bare more of the blame. What a shame when admitting you are wrong is seen as a sign of weakness to be exploited rather than a sign of a mature person you can work with and get things done.