SOME GOODBYES ARE EASIER THAN OTHERS

Now that the election is over, things are not cooling down; the whole world is heating up. Today in a media frenzy, Bush tried to convince us that he had been a good president, responsible though strong enough to withstand the burden of that responsibility. He defended himself about Katrina handling by the government, clearly forgetting that there is so much camera footage of everything that he did. Each day there were official White House pictures as to how he spent the day. That this documentation proved him lying, or with severe memory problems, was clear as he laid groundwork for his attempt to rewrite history.

All his answers were about his own responses to things (he made it clear that he didn't listen to what others thought as he didn't want to be effected)like Abu Grabe as a 'disappointment'. Calling such a national disgrace a disappointment was a confirmation of his insensitivity, as though it was totally out of his purview. His 'laurels' as he saw them, were that there was not another attack on American soil of its people. Are not Americans just as dead whether it is in America or in Iraq and other places? His and Cheney's conclusion that they stopped another attack was like the researchers who reach conclusions on faith rather than scientific proof and data.

He admitted to one mistake, that of the banner MISSION ACCOMPLISHED though he didn't really negate the whole well-planned and choreographed photo-op given him on the Carrier. With a shy, impish smile, he also said that sometimes his rhetoric was wrong. Had he answered honestly, he might have said his rhetoric was too often based on a lie. Interestingly, the Colbert Report said his biggest mistake was ever giving press conferences!

While a small minority is saddened at his not being president any longer; the majority of the country will rejoice. Those in the habit of idealizing the dead will forget that he was responsible for the biggest mess we have had in a long time. The rest of us will pick up our teaspoons and start to empty out the ocean.