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Will Bush Deliver Farewell Address?
December 22, 2008 1:02 PM
ABC News’ Rick Klein Reports: Eight years, two wars, a global financial mess, the worst terrorist attacks in the nation’s history, some of the most devastating natural disasters in memory -- an eventful tenure indeed for President Bush.
But might he slip back to Texas without saying goodbye?
The word out of the White House is that the president still hasn’t decided whether to deliver a farewell address, either from the Oval Office or some other location. Spokesman Tony Fratto said Monday that he “thinking about some ideas. But he hasn’t made that decision yet.
“I think if he feels that he has something important to say and it's the right way to say it, he will. But he just hasn't decided yet,” Fratto said.
The president told C-SPAN’s Steve Scully last week that he’d spoken to a speechwriter about the possibility of a formal farewell address, but still hadn’t decided whether it’s a good idea.
“A lot of Presidents have, and I'm giving it serious thought. I don't want it to be -- you know, kind of a real emotional goodbye. If I give it, it's going to be trying to leave behind some lessons learned,” Bush said. “I really haven't figured it out yet, but I have talked to a speechwriter about, should I decide to do it, what would we say -- and one thing, of course, is going to be we have to be vigilant and can't let our guard down because a terrorist threat still exists.”
There’s a tradition of formal presidential farewells going back to George Washington, who famously warned of excessive foreign entanglements in his 1796 farewell.
President Dwight Eisenhower gave one of the more famous addresses in this genre, with his warning against “unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.”
President Ronald Reagan gave a farewell speech. So did Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton.
Interestingly, President George H. W. Bush opted against a formal farewell -- aides said at the time that it was “just one of those things that didn't get done.”
He did, however, give a last speech at West Point in January 1993 that was treated as his valedictory, where he laid out his criteria for the use of military force. He said force was justified only “where and when force can be effective,” “where its application can be limited in scope and time,” and “where the potential benefits justify the potential costs and sacrifice.”
The current President Bush told C-SPAN’s Scully that he was thinking about some words of advice he could leave his successor and the nation:
“It makes sense to say, I've learned this and I wish my successor all the best; and, America needs to be on the lookout,” he said.
“One option for me is to talk about isolationism and protectionism, and that it's very important for us to resist those ‘isms.’ The world needs our presence. The people dying of AIDS on the continent of Africa need a robust response by the United States to save lives. We need voices calling upon coalition members to stay in the fight against the terrorists. And protectionism is rearing its ugly head -- witness the fact we had trouble getting good free trade agreements through the Congress with Panama and Colombia and South Korea.
“So maybe that's what I'll warn about as well -- thank you for giving me some ideas,” he added.
December 22, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (86)
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Tell him to save his breath, no one is interested in anything he has to say. He has done enough damage to our country, so my wish is for him to disappear quietly and quickly into the sunset.
Posted by: Brian, Decatur, GA | Dec 22, 2008 1:39:06 PM
The Bush Doctrine: Impose your values and ideas across the globe whether solicited or not, even while neglecting more pressing concerns at home. If the speech is a reflection of this policy that has done so much damage to our reputation and confidence in government, he should save his breath.
Posted by: Bob | Dec 22, 2008 1:43:46 PM
Brian, Decatur GA:
I fully agree with you. He does not even need to wave to anyone!
Posted by: Rita | Dec 22, 2008 1:48:00 PM
Not much to say to a country that can't wait to see him out of office. It would be a ratings killer...
Posted by: matt | Dec 22, 2008 1:52:23 PM
Bush doesn't want it to be an emotional goodbye? He is so full of himself. I say he needs to skip the farewell because most of Americans will be saying good riddens to the Bush era. He will be remember as a tainted stain to America. Please don't insult our intelligence Mr. Bush and do what you do best and go to Crawford, TX and stay there.
Posted by: happy | Dec 22, 2008 1:54:30 PM
well, the Bush administration certainly gave our nation the blueprint of how NOT to manage a nation. Words like stubborness, close-minded, inept and deceit will have to be words forever linked to his presidential legacy.
Hopefully enough of us have learned a lesson from this mess that he has helped create. Only insecure party loyalists who are more interested in having their party always being in the right, and incapable of taking any blame as compared to what is best for our nation will care what this man has to say.
Posted by: Tim | Dec 22, 2008 1:57:03 PM
President G. W. Bush, The honorable and just leader of the free world should pause and reflect on his great accomplishments and lessons learned and given before handing the reigns to an empty suit sweet talking nobody that will undoubtedly send this nation spiraling even lower into despair. When the liberals get through with this country there will probably be legal gay sex in the streets of your neighborhoods. Get ready!
Posted by: mogo III | Dec 22, 2008 2:08:13 PM
Nobody needs a farewell speech from somebody who cannoy speak. When Bush took power America was in economic surplus and after his 8 years of mismanagement, America is in economic bankrupcy. We are thinking that he was agraduate in management, but it seems he has stolen his degree as he has stolen the 2000 elections. Maybe we have to send him our shoes too as farewell present.
Posted by: Panama Canal | Dec 22, 2008 2:08:51 PM
Brian, Decatur GA:
I agree also, you have said it all!!!
Posted by: sisterdearest09 | Dec 22, 2008 2:13:41 PM
His farewell speech will come in the form of pardons for himself and the rest of the co-war criminals of his administration.
Posted by: hang | Dec 22, 2008 2:21:09 PM
@Mogo III -- LOL, "legal gay sex." You bigots crack me up!
Posted by: Kris | Dec 22, 2008 2:21:36 PM
ditto to all of the above
Posted by: Ernesto Guzman Irizarry | Dec 22, 2008 2:22:23 PM
He has nothing good to say except that "We have not been attacked since 9/11".
Mr. Pres, 9/11 was the worst attack in our nations history. It happened under your watch. Why didn't you prevent it?
If we could had been attacked again, there were no way you could had survived your Presidency up to now. It was your duty and don't tell us we should praise you.
Posted by: FM | Dec 22, 2008 2:24:28 PM
OMG - here's a good one: From Fox News Website: "While the nation's commander in chief waged two wars against terror, he -- along with Vice President Cheney -- also was leading a secret mission of comfort." (referring to military veterans!!!) Those people have no connection to reality, do they?
Posted by: hang | Dec 22, 2008 2:44:12 PM
Seey Dubya.
Fair Winds and Following Shoes!!
Posted by: Omentum | Dec 22, 2008 2:51:46 PM
Kris,
I'd like to say the same to you but gays like you would no doubt support that sort of thing and that is nothing to lol about. You call me a bigot because I don’t like obama, you don’t know me, but thats automatic when one doesn't like a black person. Why not call the entire group of Bush hater’s bigot also? Oh that’s right you don’t know them either BUT, their disparaging remarks are aimed at a white person so no matter the persons race that screams the vile remarks none of them are bigots. Bunch of liberal crap!
Posted by: mogo III | Dec 22, 2008 2:57:54 PM
Will Bush Deliver Farewell Address?
not without successfully dodging flying shoes
Posted by: richardm | Dec 22, 2008 3:15:46 PM
I believe that even without ever meeting mogo that he may be another one of those "living in fear" and insecure party loyalists I was referring to earlier.Unfortunately there are still far too many of them still around and made the rest of us suffer through 8 years of irrepairable damage caused by the Bush administration.
Mogo-- keep tuning in and listening to the likes of Rush and O'Reilly no doubt they can stir up enough fear for you to remain comfortable in your closed little world.
Posted by: Tim | Dec 22, 2008 3:16:08 PM
Oh come on Tim, there's no damage that Bush could have possibly done that the Lord God Obama can't repair with a wave of his hand. At least that's what your kind was telling us in between sips of Kool-aid all through the election...
Posted by: howwouldiknow | Dec 22, 2008 3:32:58 PM
I can't believe that a Bush supporter brings up the subject of sipping kool-aid...too many of you Bushies quivering behind your locked doors helped get this submoron elected twice..Most other civilized nations wouldn't trust "W' with a pair of scissors let alone elect him president, twice even for the office of President..what else does this guy have to do to you for you to open your eyes,.. burn your house down.?, spit on your kids.? - but I know, your team,.. er.. I mean. your party must always be in the right-because afterall that is far more important than what is best for America.
Posted by: Tim | Dec 22, 2008 3:48:58 PM
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