I mentioned in my previous post that I appreciated Senator Ted Kennedy’s service to the country. Even if I disagreed with most of his political stances, I understand he’s doing what he believes is right for the country^[a], and I appreciate that.

By the same token, I’d like to extend my thanks to our now-former President, George W. Bush. Many of his decisions were not those that I would’ve made, but I honestly believe that his intention was always to do what he felt was best for the country. In response, he had to deal with eight years of not just opposition (any President can expect at least four years of that, honestly), but downright hateful, childish opposition that often opposed him not for any ideological reason, but simply out of pure spite^[b].

I hope former President Bush enjoys his newfound freedom from the constant pressures of the Presidency, and that those who couldn’t find the maturity to treat him with respect during his Presidency^[c] can find the maturity to leave him alone (I’d hate to think that he can’t just enjoy the time off because of people harassing him), now that their guy is in charge.

That said, I also want to extend my congratulations to President Obama. Nothing in his record (what little of it there is) or in his campaign led me to believe that his policies will match my political beliefs at all, but I respect that he is the legally elected President. I’ll be vocal in my opposition to his policies, but will do my best to refrain from engaging in the sort of disgusting rhetoric that the far left (and even some on the near left) have used for the last eight years.

1. Most of the time, that is — if he’s not too caught up in partisanship, in the idea of preserving the view from his front porch, or protecting himself from the political fallout of abandoning an innocent woman to die in a car he’s just wrecked [↩]
2. Don’t believe me? President Obama has already decided that not only was shutting Guantanamo down immediately not a good idea, but that the trials for the prisoners there should be delayed (Remember, when Mr. Bush was still President, that the fact that they were being held without trial was a travesty. Now, it’s a good thing, apparently.). [↩]
3. Not even at the end of it, given reports of taunts being thrown at him as he was leaving the ceremony yesterday. [↩]

My thoughts and prayers go out to Ted Kennedy and his family today. From what I can tell reading the news reports, it doesn’t look like his situation is grave (other than his age and his cancer, that is… let’s say it’s not immediately grave), but his collapse yesterday is still cause for some alarm.

I don’t support Senator Kennedy’s politics, but I believe he generally tries to do what’s right for the country, and I appreciate his service.