500 Days

If I've programmed my Bush clock correctly, the minute I post this is exactly 500 days from Inaugural Day 2008. It's kind of tricky to figure, since '08 is a leap year, there are time zones to consider, and that pesky daylight savings time thing, but I'm pretty sure that 1:00 p.m. today (East Coast time) is exactly 500 days until the end of President George W. Bush's term in office.

To avoid all these calculations, I strongly suggest you get a "Bush clock" of your own. It's even been reported that staffers in the White House have such clocks on their desks (to remind them of how much time they have remaining to get things done). It's a pretty safe bet, though, that their clocks are slightly different from the one I have:

These clocks may be purchased online through the independent bookseller Bookshop Santa Cruz [full disclosure: I received absolutely nothing for that blatant product placement].

To mark this special occasion, I have written my own lyrics to the song "500 Miles." Massive apologies in advance to Hedy West (who wrote the original song) and to Peter, Paul, and Mary fans everywhere.

500 Days

Lord he's one, Lord he's two, Lord he's three, Lord he's four,

Lord he's 500 days from going home.

500 days, 500 days, 500 days, 500 days

Lord he's five hundred days from going home.

Not a plan for Iraq, not a thought in his brain

Lord he can't go a-home soon enough

Soon enough, soon enough, soon enough, soon enough,

Lord he can't go a-home soon enough.

As the Bush clock says: "Our national nightmare will soon be over."

Amen to that.

Chris Weigant blogs at: ChrisWeigant.com