But, the man is a true gentleman. Throughout the transition period from his administration to that of Barack Obama, Bush has held himself with the absolute dignity and grace that his position deserves.
In his farewell address last night, Bush was effluent with his praise and respect for his successor.Bush called the inauguration of Obama, the first black president, a moment of hope and pride for America. I join all Americans in offering best wishes to President-elect Obama, his wife Michelle, and their two beautiful girls.
It's a shame that Obama didn't show the class that his predecessor showed. The president-to-be wasn't around to listen to Bush's compliments. Obama decided that going to the posh Equinox Restaurant was more important than to listen to the president's farewell.
Equinox dinner menu (PDF)
To be sure, Obama had the text of the speech, as the news media did, but he should have waited the 13 minutes or so until the speech was done before ducking out. I think Equinox would have found room in the restaurant had the president-elect come late for his reservation.
The bottom line of the Bush presidency, the president summed-up in two sentences:
I have always acted with the best interests of our country in mind. I have followed my conscience and done what I thought was right.
This is why there are some of us who still like George W. Bush. We might not agree with his policies -- and frequently don't -- but he did what he thought was right. For better or worse, he ignored the polls and his favorability ratings when crafting policy decisions that often hurt his like-ability. Unlike his predecessor who seemed to poll-test and focus group his every move (including where he vacationed, according to some).
We can only hope that the incoming president shows the same belief in his principles and stands for what he believes the way that Bush did. Doing what is right is harder and shows far more leadership than doing what is popular and easy.
For that, I thank you, W.
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