Parting Shots.

• Author: Hightower, Jim Allen
• Position: The Lowdown - Viewpoint essay

Finally, our country is getting a new beginning, and maybe, just maybe, we can put our country back on the right path. As we head that way, however, we ought not totally put out of mind the dark path we've been down the past eight, lest we allow future leaders to take us there again. So here's a parting shot at the Bush years.

Start, of course, with George W--what a guy! Just ask him, he'll tell you. While he spent seven years and eleven months of his tenure trying to thwart media scrutiny of his life and actions, in the final month he popped up everywhere, eager to reveal the inner George. The essence of his self-assessment as President was that while not everything he pursued worked out perfectly, he should be viewed as a bold, transformative, and even profound President. "An old sage," he called himself during a December Q&A session.

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Wow. A sage. What can you add to that?

Let's hope that some loved one thought to buy a tube of Reality Gripper for him as a Christmas gift.

In fairness, though, George was not the only one saying that he's been absolutely terrific. Top-ranking officials of his Administration were also vouching for his overall excellence. In case they weren't sure what to say, the White House PR office helpfully provided a two-page memo of talking points for the officials to follow in their public appearances. Titled "Speech Topper on the Bush Record," this dandy document extolled Bush as a terror on terrorists, a courageous tax whacker, etc. Indeed, in two pages of bullet points, the memo found not a single flaw in the marvelous man's record. Amazing!

For those of you looking for a more fair and balanced analysis of the past eight years, why not trust Karl Rove? Yes, the gnarly rightwing gnome who has been Bush's political keeper since his first campaign in Texas is now directing the "Bush Legacy Project." Rove and a crew of faithful White House Bushites are crafting a comprehensive overview of the boss's tenure, coming soon to an IMAX near you, no doubt.

As we wave bye-bye to Bush & Company, it's worthwhile to offer a few of...