Yesterday was the last day of the George Bush Presidency, and it put into a nutshell why I am a proud Republican. What happened? Nothing! Oh yea Barack Obama was sworn in and there was an official change in administrations but otherwise nothing. That’s right, not a single terrorist, sleazy millionaire or corrupt government official was given a Presidential pardon. Wasn’t that refreshing? Remember when Bill Clinton left office? For the last few days of the Clinton Presidency we were bombarded with pardons, 140 of them on January 20th alone.

Here is something you will never hear on TV. George Bush did not pardon anyone who had not served their full sentence. He used the pardon to eliminate the effects of conviction i.e. voting rights, or being able to own a gun etc. As of December 23, 2008 George Bush had issued one hundred ninety one Presidential pardons and he commuted the sentences of nine others. Let’s look at his predecessor, according to Wikipedia Bill Clinton gave out four hundred forty five Presidential pardons. Wow looks like W didn’t sell pardons for campaign or library cash, what an idiot. His brothers were not out hawking pardons to the highest bidder like both Hillary and Bills brothers were. W didn’t even have to pardon his brother like Bill Clinton did.  I thought George W Bush was the epitome of corruption and greed. According to main stream media (MSM) George W Bush had one of the most corrupt administrations of all time. His approval ratings were lower than even Truman’s. How can this be then?

I don’t know for sure, but I would bet my life that not one keyboard was broken and not one office in the White House or Old Executive office building was trashed. Would you like to bet we won’t read about anyone on W’s last Presidential trip looting the plane or the ships they were allowed to use like Clintons guests did? Does anyone think that there will be any reports of missing furniture or lamps in the news? And doing all of the above Hillary is still going to be Secretary of State?

Had Republicans acted to the Clintons like the Obama people acted yesterday, it would be all over the MSM. Lets look at what went on yesterday. A monument of George HW Bush was vandalized in Houston with yellow paint, people were booed when President Bush was introduced. If that had been done to the Clintons the talking heads would be opining on how Republicans are rubes and hicks as to the reason why people were booing or singing “hey hey hey goodbye” but because it was Democrats, not a word. Yep that’s real class for you.

I hate to sound picky, but I have to bring it up because I can’t leave it to the Networks to show us. Did you see the litter and garbage left behind by the people who attended the inauguration yesterday? Standing at that moment in history did they have any respect for our countries National Mall? You wouldn’t think so looking at the trash and overturned porta-potties they left behind. You would think the people who are pushing this green life style would leave as small a carbon footprint as possible, wouldn’t you? I also have to point out that there were a record number of private planes parked at the airports in Washington DC. Usually I wouldn’t even care but these are the very people who will tell me what kind of car to drive and how much water my toilet can use to flush. You would think one or two of them could have jet pooled don’t you? I wonder how much money Al Gore made by selling them carbon tradeoffs?

As I said in the beginning, I am proud to be on the side that acts maturely and doesn’t throw a fit when they loose. I hope the American people noticed the treatment anyone who didn’t support Obama received by the beautiful people attending Inaugural balls in Washington last night.  But let’s be truthful, if it was a Republican occasion and that many private planes came, the media would go nuts. But being a Republican I understand the double standard and accept it. I point this out for a reason I want to say how proud I was to be a supporter of George W Bush yesterday! He showed the Democrats what class and professionalism are and he treated his office with the class and dignity it deserves. If President Obama learned one thing yesterday I hope it was how a President should act even when they leave office. Thank You President Bush!

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Jim Leahy is a regular contributor to the Chicago Daily Observer.