U.S. President George W. Bush delivered his farewell address to the nation on January 15, 2009. See video, photos and transcript here. The outgoing President gave the 13 minute speech before an audience of 200 in the East Room of the White House which was televised live at 8pm ET. His successor, President-elect Barack Obama will take the oath of office on Inauguration Day, January 20, 2009.
“Like all who have held this office before me, I have experienced setbacks,” Mr. Bush said, in a steady, even cadence. “There are things I would do differently if given the chance. Yet I have always acted with the best interests of our country in mind.” [...]
Some of his predecessors delivered their farewell addresses from the Oval Office. But his counselor, Ed Gillespie, said Mr. Bush “wanted to be with people” for his final moment in the spotlight.
Along with his wife, Laura, Vice President Dick Cheney and other top members of his administration, the East Room was filled with ordinary Americans whose lives have touched Mr. Bush’s — people like Arlene Howard, who gave the president her son’s police badge after he was killed in the World Trade Center attacks, and Judea Pearl, the father of Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal reporter who was killed by terrorists in Pakistan.
Describing himself as “filled with gratitude,” Mr. Bush touched briefly on a handful of policy matters that he regards as achievements: his No Child Left Behind education measure, legislation giving Medicare beneficiaries access to prescription drugs and his campaign to combat AIDS around the world. But his main theme was the moment that defined his presidency, the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
“As the years passed,” Mr. Bush said, “most Americans were able to return to life much as it had been before 9/11. But I never did. Every morning, I received a briefing on the threats to our nation. And I vowed to do everything in my power to keep us safe.”
Source: A Somber Bush Says Farewell to the Nation
See also: Full Text George W. Bush Farewell Address Transcript
Bush Farewell Address Video Link
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President George W. Bush Farewell Address Video, Photos 1-15-09 pics pictures
