Bush's Claim to Greatness: "It Could Have Been Worse."

Since the President has wrecked virtually everything he's attempted since taking office (e.g. Katrina, Iraq, the deficit) he doesn't have much to tout in his State of the Union address except another set of promises that will either go nowhere or screw the public (e.g., bankruptcy, energy, domestic NSA spying, and Medicare prescription legislation). The best case he could make for himself, if he stripped away all the soaring rhetoric of the speech, is "It could have been worse," largely because we haven't had another attack yet on American soil -- although I don't think many reasonable people would accept that spin, either. Of course commentators and bloggers will pore over the lame energy and health proposals the President makes in today's State of the Union speech. But in a spirit of fairness and looking towards what might be his positive historic legacy, it's time to give him credit for what he has actually accomplished since taking office:

1. That bullhorn talk on the 9/11 rubble at the World Trade Center.
2. Looking pretty good in jeans while clearing brush.
3. Toppling Saddam Hussein's statue.
4. Minority kids are improving test scores even if many of them can't afford college.
5. Helping the richest Americans save on taxes, bringing aid to the troubled yacht-building industry.
6. Giving plenty of work to Republican operatives who need to defend his record.
7. Beating ineffectual Democratic Presidential candidates by making them and their party look weak.
8. Boosting the number of hits on liberal blogs.
9. Making Americans pay attention to civil liberties again.
10. Again, that great bullhorn moment -- what an inspiration for all Americans!