As of today, we now salute President Obama.

George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, have faded into the sunset. Frankly, too many Americans have savagely attacked Bush and his Presidency in mean-spirited and vicious ways. It is my hope that those who disagree with President Obama will do so with more grace and dignity than has been shown to President Bush.

I have blogged before that Bush has done a better job than many have recognized. Peter Wehner's recent piece in USA Today rightly notes the two key areas where Bush has led well

- A vigilant attention to the very real threat of Islamic terror and its incorporation into a strong foreign policy as opposed to an accommodationist strategy
- A strong advocacy for a culture of life and defense of the right to life even for the weakest and most defenseless among us

Wehner paints far too rosy a picture of Bush's domestic "successes."

However, in the end, Wehner is correct. Bush's long-term legacy will be more positive than many expect. So, as he steps aside today, I offer my thanks to him for his work in one of the most thankless, criticized jobs imaginable.