It has been the privilege of a lifetime to serve as your President. There have been good days and tough days. But every day I have been inspired by the greatness of our country, and uplifted by the goodness of our people. I have been blessed to represent this nation we love. And I will always be honored to carry a title that means more to me than any other – citizen of the United States of America.
Thank you, President Bush, for keeping us safe.
Thank you for your service, your compassion, and your unshakable resolve.
May God bless you and your family.
Update: Make sure to check out the Bush Thank-a-thon over at Flopping Aces.
Filed under: freedom | Tags: George W. Bush, military, Operation Iraqi Freedom
Many thanks to GatewayPundit for the vid, otherwise, may never have seen the sendoff. What, with all the shoe-throwing going on.
Full vid of the President’s speech is here.
Via Breitbart, Barney the White House Dog does what others often fail to do, defend W.
Reuters political reporter Jon Decker had finished an interview with MSNBC around 10:30 a.m. when he saw Barney and his handler. After getting permission to pet the dog, Decker said Barney snapped and chomped down on his right index finger and broke the skin.
Barney and W at Crawford Ranch, August 18, 2004
[…] the President was 15 minutes behind schedule.
That’s a big slip for something so tightly choreographed, but very few people know why it happened. Here’s why.
On Dec. 10, 2006, our son, Shawn, was a paratrooper deployed on the outskirts of Baghdad . He was supposed to spend the night in camp, but when a fellow soldier became ill Shawn volunteered to take his place on a nighttime patrol–in the convoy’s most exposed position as turret gunner in the lead Humvee. He was killed instantly with two other soldiers when an IED ripped through their vehicle.
[…] When the speech was over and the President was working the crowd line, I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to see a White House staff member. She asked me and my wife to come with her, because the President wanted to meet us.
[…] A short time later, the Secret Service opened the door and President Bush walked in. I thought we might get to shake his hand as he went through. But instead, he walked up to my wife with his arms wide, pulled her in for a hug and a kiss, and said, “I wish I could heal the hole in your heart.” He then grabbed me for a hug, as well as each of our sons. Then he turned and said, “Everybody out.”
A few seconds later, the four of us were completely alone behind closed doors with the President of the United States and not a Secret Service agent in sight.
I strongly encourage you to read the whole store at Blackfive’s.
Our nation thanks you and your family for your sacrifice, Spc. Murphy. Godspeed.
H/T to DrewM. (@Ace’s) via Blackfive via Seamus.
Update: Forgot to mention one other thing Drew said:
Immigration, spending and a bunch of other issues aside, I think we’re going to miss this guy more than we realize.
Exactly.
alex asunder 