Bush's Achievements
Jan 10, 2009 03:17 PM EST
When even his vice-president is
hailing the impending inauguration of Barack Obama, it's clear that fatigue with the Bush presidency is widespread -- even those serving in it clearly are ready to go.
But it's worth pointing out the
multitude of significant achievements of the administration, as Fred Barnes does over at the Weekly Standard.
Indeed, aside from some real policy missteps -- as on the immigration issue -- most of the failures of the Bush administration are more cosmetic than substantive. As I've argued before, Bush's biggest mistake --- both for him and for conservatives and Republicans generally -- was his
decision simply to stop defending himself and his policies. Barnes points out, rightly, that Bush's presidency may receive the favorable re-evaluation that Harry Truman's has received.
In the meantime, we're stuck with a lefty President and Congress.
Carol Platt Liebau
Carol Platt Liebau is an attorney, political commentator and guest radio talk show host based near New York. Learn more about her new book, "Prude: How the Sex-Obsessed Culture Hurts Young Women (and America, Too!)"
here.