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George W. Bush hoped his last year as president would be remembered for scenes like these: troops poised to come home in triumph from Iraq where bloodshed is dramatically down.
"You have shown that there is no task too difficult for the United States' military."
But now Bush's final year will also be known for an uNPRecedented financial panic, the massive Federal rescue that a staunch free-market tier was then forced to order and the historic economic downturn that engulfed the country.
"If you don't take decisive measures, then it's conceivable that our country could go into a depression, greater than the Great Depression."
And if that weren't enough, though the Iraq war is going better, many Iraqis still smolder as Bush found out during a year-end news conference there. And meantime, Afghanistan is dramatically worse. U.S. intelligence says the war there is spiraling downward and commanders are scrambling to send in more troops.
Against that background, Bush's poll number sank to record lows, so low that GOP candidates shunned him during the campaign, but still took a beating on the election night. That means Bush will soon hand the keys to the Oval Office to the other Party. Yet looking back, he tells reporters he's got no regrets.
"When the time comes on January 20th, Laura and I will return home to Texas with treasured memories of our time here."
Still, Bush makes no secret: he's counting the days.
Mark Smith, the Associated Press, the White House.