So, here we are, on the eve of one of the most historic days in American history. For the first time ever in the short life of our country, someone other than a white man will be sworn in as President. For many, myself included, this day couldn’t come quick enough, as we are finally ready to jettison the final remaining bits of the last administration; one that features a President with another historic first: the lowest approval rating of any of his predecessors.
At first, I thought about what would possibly be the legacy of ‘W’: a useless war, a failed economy, a botched response to our nations worst natural disaster, et al. But, while those things hold true, I think that there’s a side to his legacy that many are missing, myself included who, until this morning, really didn’t give it much thought. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I think that above all, we should be thanking George W. Bush… for it was him who delivered unto us our next President, Barack Obama.
Go with me on this: if ‘W’ wasn’t so bad. If he was just an OK President. If we weren’t in such bad financial shape or mired in a land war that we cannot safely get out of, would the country have rallied around Barack Obama? Had our response to the attacks of September 11th been reasonable and limited to going after the perpetrators or Bush cut short his vacation and flown right to New Orleans to oversee the recovery personally, would the American public be clamoring for change?
I think that, when it comes down to it, George W. Bush was the catalyst. He’s the spark that this country needed to move forward. He gave people the ability to look beyond their petty differences and say to themselves, we need someone smart and capable, regardless of their heritage. I really think that if George W. Bush had been the slightest bit of a good President, someone else would be standing in front of the Capitol Building being sworn in tomorrow and I’m willing to bet, dollars to doughnuts, that it wouldn’t have been a guy with the middle name of Hussein.
So from me, and all of the other Barack Obama supporters, thank you George. We couldn’t have done it without you.
