"This has been a joyous experience being the president," George Bush told an audience in Lancaster, PA on Wednesday.
As he spoke, the nation was in the midst of fighting war. A total of 3,809 Americans have died in it. An additional 27,753 Americans have been wounded.
"This has been a joyous experience being the president," George Bush said.
Terrorists attacked the United States during the president's experience in office, destroying the World Trade Center, from 3,000 Americans died.
"This," Mr. Bush said, "has been a joyous experience being the president."
While George Bush has been president, the major America city of New Orleans was wiped off the map. Rebuilding efforts have been near non-existent, as the city struggles to return among destroyed lives.
"This has been a joyous experience being the president."
During his time as president, the global warming crisis has worsened dramatically. Over the past five years alone, melting ice caps in Antarctica have added 15 percent to the world's sea level. Greenland ice is not only melting, it is doing so twice as fast as a only a decade ago.
"This has been a joyous experience being the president."
Mr. Bush's experiences include vetoing a bipartisan bill that would have provided health care for an additional four million children, living now without any medical coverage.
"This has been a joyous experience being the president."
George Bush came into the White House with the nation having a $230 billion budget surplus, and his experience has created a deficit of $296 billion, a drop of half a trillion dollars.
"This has been a joyous experience being the president."
Republicans liked to make fun of Bill Clinton for asking what the definition of "is" is. One begins to wonder if President George Bush knows what the definition of "joyous" is.
As the administration rushed into war with Iraq, insisting we would be greeted with flowers and candy, oblivious to the deep-rooted fighting between Shiite and Sunnis for over 600 years, people have questioned if President George Bush has a sense of history. The larger question must now arise if he has a sense of the present?
"This has been a joyous experience being the president."
That's good to know. It's nice that it's at least been joyous for someone. Because it's been hell out here for the nation.
A nation, it must be repeated, that is at war. An experience Mr. Bush has said he expects to continue through his presidency. And then beyond.
And George Bush said, "This has been a joyous experience being the president."
Another political leader said the very same thing, albeit 214 years ago. Being in French, it was of course phrased differently. Translated, it comes out as, "Let them eat cake."