When the presidency of George W. Bush draws to its end in January there is one thing which is a safe bet. His successor will have been offered every opportunity for a smooth, seamless transition.

While many have disagreed with his policies from time to time (yes, even Conservatives), President Bush proves once again that what he wants now and has always wanted is what’s best for the country
in its governance:

Bush expressed minimal regret that his chosen successor John McCain lost to Obama, saying “my choice didn’t win,” and saying that the Democrat’s victory was “good for the country” — and that his success was in America’s interest.

“It is good for our country that people have hope in the system and feel vested in the future and president-elect Obama has a great opportunity. I really do wish him all the best,” said Bush.

“It is good for our country that the president succeeds. The transition that we are working with him on is a genuine effort to help him be able to deal with the pressures and the complicated issues of the presidency,” he said.

Bush detailed how Obama, after their policy discussion, had raised “his little girls, how would they like the White House” and that during a tour of the residence section of the mansion “he wanted to see where his little girls were going to sleep.”

As President-Elect Obama draws closer to the most cumbersome job he will ever face he is a fortunate man. He has majorities in both Houses to assist him with his agenda. There are factions of the press who may very well allow him a permanent “honeymoon” period.

He also has something else in his corner which President Bush never had. He will have the good wishes and quiet departure of our sitting President.

Mr. Bush will relinquish the reins of power to his duly elected successor with the same dignity and humility with which he assumed the office and like his Dad I sense a silent future with regards to criticism of any current or past president. Anything less given the nature of the man, would be a huge disappointment.

Very vivid in my memory is the loss of my grandparents.

When we lost my Dad’s father we were stationed in Hawaii and only he could return for the services.

I remember my paternal grandfather as a kind man who worked hard during very tough times to support a wife and 7 children. His illness and death left a profound mark on my life as it was my first experience in the loss of a loved one.

Then the loss of my paternal grandmother at a time when we spent most days concerned with the well being of Dad who was serving in Vietnam.

Grandma was a stern woman who did the best she could to raise those 6 girls and 1 boy. She was not warm and funny like my grandfather but always made certain if you visited that all your basic necessities were met. None of her (sometimes hard to take) personality traits changed the loss we felt at her unexpected death.

My maternal grandparents were a very important part of my life growing up. They visited us whenever they could no matter where we were stationed. I never really had a “home” as others know one, but when on leave my folks would say “we’re going home” I always knew that meant to visit Grandma and Grandpa.

Mom too came from a large family and when we would arrive “home” all were there to greet us..aunts, uncles, cousins friends. It was always quite a reunion and yes that’s what it was as there were times the absences were lengthy.

I am the oldest grandchild and my grandmother would inevitably, within an hour of arrival instruct me to “take the younger ones for a walk to see the reindeer” so final preparations could be made for the meal we would all share. Those plastic reindeer, those bib aprons, a glider swing and the amazing smells and sounds of their home all formed powerful memories.

Learning to iron was not a chore because Grandma taught me. Nothing was ever wasted..it was eaten, used or shared. Church on Sunday was expected and no argument for ever offered as everyone knew it would be promptly rejected.

My grandparents, with whom I could not share anywhere near as much time as I would have liked formed many of the values I carry today. Their love was unconditional and the respect they commanded was well deserved. Losing them was one of the most difficult and heartbreaking experiences of my life.

I cannot imagine as any of my grandparents were lying gravely ill that I would do this:

I just know I couldn’t!

Maybe this is the way the Senator deals with grief and for that I will pass no judgment. But, once again, IMHO this shows that Barack Obama puts himself first, even over and above the woman who raised and nurtured him.

The link above the video has more not only about the Senator’s grandmother but also his treatment of his own mother. Sometimes it’s not words but actions which speaks volumes about the character of a man or woman. This, I believe is one of those times.

Is civility disappearing totally from government?

Has this financial crisis created an atmosphere so unhealthy that we now have the Speaker of the House referring to Republicans as “unpatriotic” for their not attending a scheduled meeting?

Perhaps she should have conferred with Senator Dodd prior to uttering those words:

More from the House GOP offices:

Well, we didn’t go to yesterday’s meeting because they didn’t invite us. Dodd even said on NBC nightly news last night that they just forgot.
It’s pretty infuriating.

[emphasis-mine]

Interesting that the Democrats were so anxious to pin the failure of the original deal on the financial bail out on the Republicans and John McCain when it appears it was their own Presidential candidate who inflicted the damage at the White House meeting:

…..This according to Bob Schieffer of CBS.[emphasis-mine]

Paulson called Lindsey Grahamnesty and said, “Look, I need the House Republicans. I need Republicans on this. We can’t get anywhere without them. You’ve gotta call McCain. He’s the only one that can do it.” So that’s why McCain goes to Washington, and they end up having a four o’clock meeting at the White House yesterday. They all think they’re going into a negotiating session. The president, in order to let everybody be heard, deferred to various Democrats, and every one of the Democrats — Pelosi, Reid, Dodd, and Frank — declined to speak and deferred to Obama. So Obama became the official Democrat spokesman in the meeting. This was to hype Obama’s leadership and presidential aura and so forth. What happened next, the first thing out of Obama’s mouth — Paulson is in the meeting — is he starts ripping the House Republican proposal and asks Paulson what he thinks of it.

This led Boehner and the other Republicans in there to think they have been sandbagged. We found out this morning that Obama had no clue — because he was in transit doing other things, he had no clue — what the House Republican position was. What happened was that on the way to the meeting sometime during the day, Obama’s staff received an e-mail from Treasury Department employees who work for Paulson detailing the House Republican plan. So when the Democrats deferred to Obama, he launched into that. He had no clue what it was. That’s why he asked Paulson for his comments. I don’t know what Paulson said, but this is what led to the fireworks. This is what led to everything breaking down in there. This is why Dingy Harry walked out, ’cause it didn’t work.

[All references to Senators by other than their proper title are those of Rush Limbaugh]

Remember it was the Democrats who insisted the insertion of presidential politics was not helpful in this debate yet they allowed their candidate to speak on their behalf.

If this is indeed what transpired, then not only did the Democrats stretch the truth at the completion of the meeting, but it was extremely disrespectful to the President of the United States.

What egos these Senators and Congresspersons must have to place themselves and their politics above the Executive and the country which it serves.

If memory serves, both McCain and Obama are Senators first candidates second and they should be in Washington in their official capacity as such in an attempt to move this process forward, not garner political points.

There is plenty of blame to go around in this financial mess but deliberately falsifying facts (on either side of the aisle) and calling members of the opposing party “unpatriotic” serves no purpose and the effects will no doubt be long lasting.

*For those who would like to read the thoughts of an international auditor in the insurance industry regarding this crisis check out the piece at the link. Quite an interesting and enlightening read.

Common decency. It’s not a new concept. It did not suddenly appear as a slogan used to market any product or person. It was not born out of a great speech. It has no copyright and none can claim it as their own.

When Robert Novak was diagnosed with his malignant brain tumor (as Ted Kennedy was) we posted here at ~J’s~ wishing him well. It’s not necessary to have the same political ideology with or even to like a person to feel compassion in a time of illness. Common decency. That’s all it is.

In reading this piece by Mr. Novak, both sides of this issue come to light.

First, the helping hand extended by the Kennedy family (who by his own admission Mr. Novak has shown very little kindness in his writings.)

My dear friend, the Democratic political operative Bob Shrum, asked Sen. Kennedy’s wife, Vicki, to call me about Dr. Friedman. I barely know Mrs. Kennedy, but I have found her to be a warm and gracious person. I have had few good things to say about Teddy Kennedy since I first met him at the 1960 Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles, but he and his wife have treated me like a close friend. She was enthusiastic about Dr. Friedman and urged me to opt for surgery at Duke, which I did.

The Kennedys were not concerned by political and ideological differences when someone’s life was at stake, recalling at least the myth of milder days in Washington. My long conversation with Vicki Kennedy filled me with hope.

And then, this:

There are mad bloggers who profess to take delight in my distress, but there’s no need to pay them attention in the face of such an outpouring of good will for me. I had thought 51 years of rough-and-tumble journalism in Washington made me more enemies than friends, but my recent experience suggests the opposite may be the case.

But Joe and Valerie Wilson, attempting to breathe life into the Valerie Plame “scandal,” issued this statement: “We have long argued that responsible adults should take Novak’s typewriter away. The time has arrived for them to also take away the keys to his Corvette.”

Thanks to my tumor, the Wilsons have achieved half of their desires. I probably never will be able to drive again, and I have sold the Corvette, which I dearly loved. Taking away my typewriter, however, may require modification of the First Amendment.

How pathetically sad that in the face of death of another some take delight.

Mr. Novak is fortunate to have found friends in places he never imagined. Those with whom he has disagreed who have shown their common decency, they are to be commended. To the Plames and those who choose their path which is one of hurling nothing but empty insults, well, there is still time to learn. It really isn’t that hard.