Bush Farewell Speech Thursday Night On Primetime

From AP:

WASHINGTON — President George W. Bush will give a farewell address to the nation Thursday night, billed by the administration as a chance to reflect on his tenure and welcome Barack Obama without fighting old battles one last time.

Bush will deliver the speech, expected to run 10 to 15 minutes, from the ornate East Room of the White House. He will have a small audience of people in the room, chosen for their stories of personal courage.

White House press secretary Dana Perino said Monday that Bush will "uphold the tradition of presidents using farewell addresses to look forward _ by sharing his thoughts on greatest challenges facing the country, and on what it will take to meet them."

The president also will defend his record, Perino said, but will show graciousness toward Obama and not attempt to revisit the old battles of his presidency.

Bush will speak in prime time, although no specific time has been set. The White House has requested airtime from the major television networks.

Perino said the speech will be the last scheduled public event for Bush as president until he appears on the North Portico to greet Obama on Inauguration Day, which is Jan. 20. Bush held his final news conference on Monday.

The White House says the ritual of a farewell address dates to the time of George Washington. Presidents Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan delivered goodbye speeches from the White House; Presidents Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford gave a final State of the Union address on Capitol Hill, Perino said.

Comments

[RedWhiteandBlueAmerican]

I found the Bush Farwell speach to be graceful and caring. He clearly cares about our Nation and it's safety and succession. He ahs been very helpful in during the transition time and will not leave the White House "evil"deeds as it was when he took over.
You can fault his decisons that do not meet your idiology, but you can not challenge his honesty, integrity, he necer bad mouthed anyone, and treated all
WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT.

As for me, I wil not be watching the over spent ove hyped inaugration of the BHO. Spending 150 million on a party is sick. People losing their homes and jobs it is poor taste to say the least.
How many people will HE OWE after this money fest.
All we like sheep will not follow easily, I will try not to become foul mouthed like many of you on this site but I wil not give my blessing in any way. Now that the weight of the Nation will be on BO's shoulders, I thnk his smart eleck demeaner may change and as he asks me to "put some SKIN in the game, I gave at the office and will offer not more skin, or pie.

[billyrageguy]

Don't let the door hit you on the way out!

http://www.entertonement.com/clips/52767/Adios-muchacho

[LODGE4]

SMALLVILLE is on with a new episode tonight at 8pm on wpix CHANNEL 11for the first time in six weeks - i was so worried that bush would pre-empt it so I called the station and thank God they will not be showing SMALLBRAIN at 8PM - just SMALLVILLE.

[BW1980]

I'm going to listen to this speech tonight for two reasons:

1) Because I need to see this man say goodbye. I can't believe that he's actually going to allow a peaceful transition of power. No President, in U.S. history, has ever been more Caesar-esque.

2) I want to see if the last eighty years have humbled this man at all. Lets face it, he never had a reason to be so arrogant to begin with but most narcissists never have a real reason.

I hope, tonight, that this man admits to all of his mistakes. Lets run down the list, shall we:

-Completely crapping on the constitution. His party is supposed to the "protectors" of that document....well he forever ruined that notion.

-His hands-off, laissez faire approach towards business. In fairness, the deregulation that has brought us into the present state started under Regan, continued under Bush I and was not addressed by Clinton. However, the neocon economists seem to completely ignore greed as a the number one business variable. When these people deregulated everything, they opened the doors for greed to rule the day....and it seized the opportunity.

-His policies that split asunder the U.S from our allies. We have been pegged as greedy and violent war mongers. How do we begin to repair that image when it seems to be accurate. I mean the majority of our population voted for eight years of this.

-I won't even get into the wars.

[iwebie]

President George Bush will address the farewell speech during the primetime Thursday, but the exact time is yet to decide. His address from the East Room of the White House will last 10-15 minutes. All major television networks are expected to air it though it’s not unclear if they will live broadcast the event or just air a pre-taped video.

http://www.iwebie.com/president-george-bush-farewell-speech-january-15-2009

[DLupo]

I for one will not be listening to George. There is an IGNORE GEORGE boycott going on - lets ignore Bush like he has ignored most of us for the last eight years!
http://www.ignoregeorge.com

[Madison007]

NO NEED FOR A FAREWELL - no more jibberish JUST LEAVE! LEAVE NOW! YOU AND LAURA PACK YOUR BAGS AND GO! Don't let the door hit you on the way out you pathetic excuse for a president.

[FZliveson]

Oh pleeeeze pull the plug in the middle of the thing!

[Opus007]

Talk all you want W- nobody's listening. Since November 4th the American people have been just counting the days until Obama is in office.

[millfarm]

WHY?
What else is there to say--you have broken the Constitution, you have broken the United States bank, you have broken the good reputation the United States used to have around the world, you have let the people of the United States down, and you have wasted the last eight years of this good country. Just go on back to Crawford--we do not need any more comments from you or Laura. Save the evening for packing the boxes and get out of the White House. You will surely not be missed . . . the job was way too big for you. You are leaving as an embarrassment in our country and in the world. Go away. . .

[jaschrod]

He wants to make sure you know all of his mistakes were someone else's fought. He wants to make sure that you understand this, and because he says so, it is the truth. He still thinks when he speaks, he is telling us something we did not know, but probably knew for months before he even became aware of. One thing we do know, this was one of the most corrupt, unintelligent blobs to ever have inhabited the WH. He has tarnished the image of the flag, and WH so much that it's image may never be at the level it once was.

[dogmamma]

Seriously, is anyone out there planning on watching this? I'd rather scrub toilets than watch this idiot spew lies one more time! Can you say "MISERABLE FAILURE"? Mission Accomplished!

[Phxflyer]

This will be a historic broadcast in that it will be the least watched in the history of television.

[jaschrod]

It would really be nice if nobody watched.

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[Tom Payned]

Bush, Shooo

once and for all, Shoooo

[zest]

This will be the prequill to the Friday evening anouncement of who he's pardoning. Stay tuned.

[noozone]

I'll save everyone the time by providing this pre-speech distillation of what he'll say:

You're safer because of me. I accomplished a lot that was great. My critics are wrong and they'll see that when history proves my right, long after all of us are dead. We may be facing tough economic times, but that in no way refutes any part of the Republican Party's economic ideas or agenda. I don't care if you like me, Jesus loves me. See you in Texas.