Well, here we are, kids.  Tonight is George W. Bush’s last night in the President’s Bedroom.

I don’t have much to say about it—certainly nothing rivaling the extensive treatments, both positive and negative, he’s getting elsewhere online.  I voted for him twice, somewhat less enthusiastically in 2004 than in 2000, but haven’t thought of myself as a huge Bush fan in quite some time.  Moreover, given his presidency’s budgetary indistinguishability from that of the biggest big-government Democrat, I can’t say I’m particularly sorry to see him go (though it’s definitely not Ron Paul we’re getting next).

Doubtless his presidency was interesting, in the Chinese proverb sense.  A few thoughts:

• I thought Clinton hatred was the height of political irrationality.  That was nothing.  Moreover, I remain incredulous at the weakness to downright absence of any rhetorical counterattack.  This administration never raised a finger in its own defense, even when it was justified.  “New tone” my ass.
• Bush has certainly disemboweled the Republican brand when it comes to fiscal discipline.  He and his single-minded Congress gleefully grew the government as quickly and as massively as they could (“like smack-addicted pit fiends,” I said more than once on Usenet).  For starters (as in the tiniest tip of the iceberg), anyone want to find me anything in the Department of Homeland Security’s charter that wasn’t already covered by another government agency?
• I do think history will ultimately judge it remarkable that we have not experienced another terrorist attack on U.S. soil after September 11.

Godspeed, President Bush.