Bush's Achievements

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.