George W. Bush: Summation.
Was it the speech of his life? I don’t know. I haven’t seen them all.
He covered all the bases: foreign policy, domestic policy, past, present, future; himself, with perspective and humor, and his office. He knows the Republicans in the hall and in the nation don’t agree with everything he says and does, but he hopes you respect him for his principles and for his ability to stick to them.
I do, Mr. President, I do.
I would say “O Captain, my Captain,” but:
- I’m not a Whitman fan.
- I’m afraid a lot of people would think it was an allusion to Dead Poets’ Society.
- This is no occasion for an elegy; I hope our journey has only reached the midway point.
