A do-over for America's primary and secondary education system? One in which we worry more about teaching children than about babying teachers?

We don't know what the original goals might have been because the goals shifted on September 11, 2001 and the President's principal goal was to "keep us safe." Every day. Every morning when he received the intelligence briefing. The threat report.

The President was not maudlin last night and he has not been during these final weeks of his Presidency. The other night I was honored to have been invited to a reception at the White House which included a photo with the President.

In the decades I have known George W. Bush - back to the days when we (incorrectly) called him "Junior" when his dad was Vice President - he called me Richie.

Until he was elected President. He never called me Richie nor, come to think of it, anything else.

When I was approaching the President for my photograph, introduced by the military aide as "Rich Galen" the President reached over, took my hand and said, "Richie! Thanks for everything you've done."

Back Atchya, Mr. President. Thank you for everything you've done.

You haven't tired. You haven't faltered. You certainly haven't failed.

You've kept us safe.