Farewell Bush, Your Closing Argument Is Enough – President Bush’s Farewell Speech
Quiet goodbye on President Bush’s Farewell Speech: President George W. Bush said farewell to the nation, but the nation wasn’t paying attention. TV barely cut to him in time for his first words Thursday evening and couldn’t wait to cut away when he finished 13 minutes later. Something unexpected and awesome had happened to shoulder him out of the picture: a jet gliding to a stop in the middle of the Hudson River, with everyone emerging safe. The departure of President Bush, by contrast, had become part of the world’s mental wallpaper some time ago. U.S. President George W. Bush delivers a farewell address from the White House in Washington, January …
Bush’s Closing Argument: Was Anybody Listening? Bush spoke from the East Room of the White House, filled with a friendly audience drawn from his administration and honored guests. But the assembled crowd was merely the backdrop – the real audience was history. He knows he has lost the short-term argument, the one measured in opinion polls and approval ratings. This was a speech aimed at the long run. (See pictures of President Bush in the Middle East.)
And in the long run, Bush clearly believes, the gaze of history will settle a few hundred yards to the southeast of the Miracle on the Hudson, on the spot where jets hammered skyscrapers and there were no happy endings. Speaking for the last time from the president’s mansion, Bush recalled that his first such speech was on the evening of Sept. 11, 2001. An easy trick for his speechwriters would have been to toss in a few lines about the skill and courage of his countrymen on the plane in the river, but Bush decided not to go there. The day’s headline had power but no lasting significance-and that made it an example of what he sees as a dangerous tendency to shift focus away from the big picture.
Or, to use his own words: “As the years passed, most Americans were able to return to life much as it had been before 9/11. But I never did.”
Perhaps, then, it was a mistake to give even passing mention to a horn-tooting list of favorite achievements, like education reform, tax cuts and the expansion of Medicare. Maybe he was right to pass by the collapse of the economy with less passion than he devoted to the story of the father of a Marine killed in Iraq. He could hardly be accused of making a big deal about non-war matters when he summed up the current crisis in a single sentence: “These are very tough times for hardworking families, but the toll would be far worse if we had not acted.”
These issues pale beside the battle against radical Islam and its terrorist tactics, Bush insisted. Making his closing argument for the history books, the President declared, “America has gone more than seven years without another terrorist attack on our soil.” And he pleaded with the country to maintain the focus. “America did nothing to seek or deserve this conflict,” he said. “But we have been given solemn responsibilities, and we must meet them. We must resist complacency. We must keep our resolve. And we must never let down our guard.”
The tradition of a farewell address began with George Washington. His stern defense of an independent America, free of foreign entanglements and deaf to the intrigues of Europe, was the nation’s first great speech. Citizens in villages across the country staged annual recitations for decades after Washington’s death. Dwight Eisenhower used his valedictory to issue a memorable warning against a permanent “military-industrial complex” – an alert more quoted than heeded. (See pictures of President Bush’s summer trip to Europe.)
Bush clearly had these examples in mind, as he wove an inventory of the familiar American virtues into the fabric of his urgent priorities. “In the 21st century,” he said, “security and prosperity at home depend on the expansion of liberty abroad.” This was one more formulation of Bush’s central philosophy, which he said is threatened by the rise of an isolationist and protectionist mood. “If America does not lead the cause of freedom,” he continued, “that cause will not be led.”
It’s a long way from Washington’s isolationist farewell to Bush’s ideal of universal liberty ushered in by American leadership and intervention. Someone could write a rich history of the world with those two brief speeches as bookends. On a personal level, it’s a long way from the chesty, swaggering George W. Bush of bygone years to the resigned and pensive man in the East Room, who repeatedly acknowledged the large number of people who disagree with his views. “You may not agree with some tough decisions I have made,” he said. “But I hope you can agree that I was willing to make the tough decisions.”
Hard to imagine, at his zenith, that George W. Bush would ever want to quote the Marxist revolutionary Leon Trotsky, but one of Trotsky’s famous lines would have fit perfectly into his farewell. “You may not be interested in war,” Bush said in essence, “but war is interested in you.”
Instead, he used his own words: “Our enemies are patient and determined to strike again.” With that final warning, Bush entered the past. But was anyone listening?
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The following are just comments, not from the author of this article. Please leave your views afterwards:
President Bush’s Farewell Speech was so unimportant to the mainstream media, shame on all of you! He is a man of honor& integrity &people will rue the day for blasting him for eight years! The media has been nothing but trash & litter mongers throwing the good away to keep trash on the front pages. I don’t wonder why everyone has gone Hollywood w/their mentality since Satan is working overtime, but thank God that we had this President with great faith who tried his best against all odds to keep our country safe from the enemies. I pray that Barack Hussein Obama will see the light before he sells our nation to the highest bidder! God Bless President George W. Bush and his wonderful family. I apologize for how you were treated, you will always be in my prayers. Enjoy retirement&get a well needed rest. Spend time with your family&friends&don’t watch the news or read any newspapers. With Great Respect,MSgt, USAF (Ret.) Mary A.
He certainly did try his best…it just wasn’t good enough. You think people are horrible for bashing Bush, but you spew your “Barack Hussein Obama” garbage on the internet. Obama hasn’t even stepped up to the plate yet. Hypocrite.
FIRST OF ALL I WOULD LIKE TO SAY GOODBYE TO BUSH.. THANK GOODNESS HE IS OUT. HE HAS DONE NOTHING TO BETTER OUR COUNTRY HE IS JUST FINISHING WHAT HIS DADDY STARTED.. SO ALL OF YOU WHO THINK HE WAS A GOOD PRESIDENT WHERE THE HECK HAVE YOU BEEN FOR THE PAST 8 LONG YEARS OF THIS b******* .. THE WORLD IS GONNA BE A BETTER PLACE WITH OUT THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE HOUSE..
I watched last night with deep thanks to a job well done! President Bush is an honest, God Fearing man that encountered a lot of issues during his presidency. Now, we Americans, need to get behind President Elect Obama and support him. This nation needs to resect the position of the President and pray for him!
for you who think bush didnt do do a good job. wait till osama gets in you will be sorry and crying haha
Thank you President Bush for keeping us safe, unfortunetly there are so many people who never passed history and continue to put the blame solely on you, obviously they never heard of congress, nor how bills are passed. This nation is in for a rude awakening. Wish you and Mrs. Bush only the best.
First, Clinton started the housing crisis, not Bush. Second, we went to war with almost total support of the Congress, and the population of this country. Remember all the little flags on everybody’s car? Bush said then it would not be quick or easy. That was Ok then. I think this entire country suffers from attention deficit disorder. I wish Mr. Bush and Mr. Obama the best. One deserves it and the other will need it.
Thank you President Bush, you were a great leader. Despite what the media has done to you, and what people have said about you. I am proud to have lived in a country with such a leader, to have served under a man who knew what to do when we were attacked. I will miss you as my commander in chief and my president. God Bless you and your family, and may you have a long healthy retirement.
To me, it was no coincidence that President Bush’s last speech was overtaken by images of a US Airways plane submerged in the river, with everyone being rescued. That’s pretty much the portrait of America as he leaves office.
Bush believes he saved us all, and that he deserves credit for that, though in the process many feel he wrecked a lot of the things we stand for. So the image fits that way, too.
Or, how about this — it was something pretty small that took out something very big. Which is a pretty good metaphor for how much impact that handful of 9/11 terrorists have had on our country.
The more I think about it, the more I think those birds were on a mission…they gave us a great image to help us process the last eight years. There as as many ways to look at the symbolism of that crash as there are about Bush and his presidency.
Are you serious??? That’s the most ridiculous comment I’ve read in a long time! You’re probably one of those whackos that think that 9/11 was an inside job just like you probably think someone trained the birds and orchestrated the plane going down. And if you want analogies….Have you been watching the news??? The pilot is a HERO to everyone for keeping his head in the game and saving all of those passengers, just as George Bush should be for saving this country from the crazies of the middle east for 7 yrs. Sadly you’re too ignorant to realize that it was COINCEDENCE that the plane went down, not so much one that we were attacked 7 yrs. ago and not again since. Give this nation all the debt in the world if it keeps my kids safe. So what if we all have to pull in the purse strings a little-it’s worth it to me. Get a grip.
Hat off to the president and now a new team of crooks stepping up. I hope the new team are not as greedy as the previous one. At least think about the poor american folks before you looted our wealth. We can’t stop you guys from looting but at least keep us safe from terrorist and protect our soldiers not like “Black Hawk Down” inccident.
Hat off to the president and now a new team of crooks stepping up. I hope the new team are not as greedy as the previous one. At least think about the poor american folks before you looted our wealth. We can’t stop you guys from looting but at least keep us safe from terrorist and protect our soldiers not like “Black Hawk Down” inccident.
If I were him I would have snuck out the back way. What a failure he and his policies are. The only WMD’s are the ones he used on America. Words of Mass Deception. Good riddens. And you Cons should pray that President Obama can pull us out of this downward spiral. If you truely cared about America you would pray for his success
Bush SHOULD skulk off in shame for the awful way he performed during his administration.
Bush’s farewell speech was not needed because i think it’s safe to say that america is done with him and we don’t need a speech we just need him to pack his crap go home to texas where he can play cowboys and indians on his make-belive ranch . He was a failure as a president and he abused his position for personal gain. thank god he is leaving. P.S. theres no such thing as an honest politicain.
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