The Long Good-Bye (Bush and Cheney visit the CPAC)

Not long ago, President Bush gave his last State of the Union address, and this week, President Bush and Vice President Cheney addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference in their current roles. It was also Bush’s first speech there since he had become president.

Both were greeted with the adulation of rock stars in this overwhelmingly younger crowd. And both remarked how much they had enjoyed working together.

In his speech on Thursday, Cheney said he had stood by President Bush and supported his decisions. Would he support the same decisions today?

You’re damn right, I would!

In his speech early Friday morning before being whisked of to meet with storm survivors in Tennessee, Bush said Cheney was the best Vice President in history. He joked that his mother might have a different opinion, but - don’t tell her this - mine is the one that counts. Bush also mentioned that he might have found a job that was actually more difficult than being President of the United States - Father of the Bride.

Both were confident about the 2008 elections, and the future of the United States. Cheney commended the CPAC committee on its impressive list of speakers,

…including, I’m certain, the next president of the United States.

He also said, America is a fair and a decent country.

Bush said,

I am absolutely confident that with your help, we will elect another president who shares our principles…with confidence in our vision and faith in our values, we will keep the Whitehouse in 2008.

and later added,

I believe America is a shining light, a guiding star, and the greatest nation on the face of the earth…I know how great our nation is, because I get to se it up close.

In spite of media rumors, especially that Bush would endorse McCain, neither endorsed a Republican candidate for the 2008 elections.

Here is a video of the portion of the speech that some believed was Bush tacitly endorsing McCain:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbkWvRuETYE