A Day of Apprehension and Aspiration for the Future

UPDATE (5:30 pm, 8:25 pm): 2 new addendum below.

The 8 years Presidency of George W. Bush has finally come to end with class, notwithstanding disappointments and tough decisions made in the two terms. His successor, Barack H. Obama, has shown respect and camaraderie toward his predecessor, the man whose name will be forever synonymous with three historic events: the 9/11/01 attacks and the global war on terror, the invasion and occupation of Iraq and the aftermath of the Hurricane Katrina disaster in 2005. However, as Obama is settling himself as the 44th President of the United States today, George W. Bush will goes down as the President who gave America a highly inspired motivation to seek change and restore America’s place in the world by electing Barack Obama. Being so widely disliked by many, it’s a hell of a motivation.

Funny, it’s the job that motivated Bush to do what he had to do according to his firm convictions, not Bush himself. He respects the office and the responsibilities that it come with. He even kept Vice President Cheney and his powerful ambitions in check. He never made it too personal, otherwise, Chavez of Venezuela, Jong-Il of North Korea or Ahmadinejad of Iran would be joining Saddam Hussein on Bush’s hit list.

For me, today has been a day of apprehension and aspiration for the future as I’d watched Obama sworn in by Chief Justice Roberts at 12:05 pm.

For the last 7 years (beginning with the 9/11 attacks), I have been carefully watching, assessing and judging Bush’s actions and decisions: some were right, some were wrong, and some were necessarily tough, however controversial or harsh these may be. For all its purposes and intents that he had done as President of the U.S. and leader of the free world, I still come to the same conclusion, as I had been saying for 7 years: history will vindicate George W. Bush.

In time, we will know and rest our cases. For now, history is being made today. Enjoy it while you can. Tomorrow’s a whole different new world, another day of apprehension and aspiration while Obama is President, for the next four years.

ADDENDUM: Send a thank-you note to Mr. President Bush.

UPDATE (8:25 pm): Is Obama Like Pericles or Semos?

Bush Has Gotten A Bad Rap, Just Like Truman

Read the WSJ article by the lawyer who worked for John Kerry 2004 campaign.

It seems that no matter what Mr. Bush does, he is blamed for everything. He remains despised by the left while continuously disappointing the right.

Yet it should seem obvious that many of our country’s current problems either existed long before Mr. Bush ever came to office, or are beyond his control. Perhaps if Americans stopped being so divisive, and congressional leaders came together to work with the president on some of these problems, he would actually have had a fighting chance of solving them.

Like the president said in his 2004 victory speech, “We have one country, one Constitution and one future that binds us. And when we come together and work together, there is no limit to the greatness of America.”

Completely agreed with the whole article. This good man has gotten a lot of bad rap and flacks for the last 8 years. I’d supported some of Bush’s positions out of traditional principles and justifications to protect the country, though, I also did not support or agree with some of Bush’s controversial policies. I don’t care what you haters think and say about him, enough already!

Harry S. Truman

At least, if you have lived through President Harry S. Truman’s time as President, you probably felt the same sentiments toward him as you have for Bush, though maybe not, since he was a Democrat with the lowest voter approval rating ever when he left the office. Bear this finalé below in mind from the same article:

The treatment President Bush has received from this country is nothing less than a disgrace. The attacks launched against him have been cruel and slanderous, proving to the world what little character and resolve we have. The president is not to blame for all these problems. He never lost faith in America or her people, and has tried his hardest to continue leading our nation during a very difficult time.

Our failure to stand by the one person who continued to stand by us has not gone unnoticed by our enemies. It has shown to the world how disloyal we can be when our president needed loyalty — a shameful display of arrogance and weakness that will haunt this nation long after Mr. Bush has left the White House.

Last night, Obama stated that he has not earn my vote, like most Americans who did not vote for him. I will help him for the sake and good of the country, just not only for him as President but for my loyalty to my country, right or wrong.

Regardless of his unpopularity and your dislike of Bush, history will vindicate George W. Bush, just as history vindicated Harry S. Truman.