It takes little effort to be critical of George W. Bush. His level of incompetence has reached heights never before seen in the office of the President. It occurred to me, though, that there is one single positive thing about President Bush which we must all acknowledge and be thankful for. Namely, his dismal performance over the last eight years helped create the perfect environment for the coming of Barack Obama – the first black president in the history of the United States.

There is no doubt that Obama possesses all the qualities which one would want in a president – intellect, charisma, vision and more. The man has an uncanny calmness about him which instills trust and confidence in his ability to lead. In any political setting, Obama would be a formidable opponent. But in the political setting of 2008, Obama’s victory was inevitable. And for that, we must thank George Bush.

The deceit, lies and dirty partisan politics which were the hallmark of Bush’s time in the White House, destroyed public trust in not only the man but in the party he led. Bush’s mismanagement of all he touched severely tarnished the Republican brand and it’ll be years before the people’s trust can be restored. It’ll take a new, young breed of conservatives to erase the memories of the last eight years.

In the meantime, Barack Obama will be president and on behalf of all who yearned for change, I say, “Thank you, Mr. Bush.”