A Duck Walks up to the Podium (or, Ed has a cold and this is all he can think of today)

Tonight begins the long line of lasts for George W. Bush. Tonight will be his last State of the Union address, heralding his final year in office (actually we're already well into that), and leading up to that glorious January day when the mantle of power will pass from him to some other, unquestionably better, President of the United States.

It's wrong to relish the irrelevancy of others, I know. But with Rudy slipping in the polls (thereby making the only person even less suited to be the leader of the free world now quite the long shot, I can say with confidence the next one should be a vast improvement), I feel so much relief these days. The dark clouds are parting, and regardless of who wins (and it looks like four people stand a good chance, three of whom would be historic firsts [first woman, first black, first Mormon]), there's no doubt in my mind the Executive branch will become more responsible and accountable in the future. It's hard to imagine it being less so.

So it's with a lighter heart and, despite the turbulence on Wall Street that spells uncertainty for us all, a renewed sense of optimism, I'll be watching that lame duck walk up to the podium this evening and quack his little heart out. I won't take anything he says seriously, mind you. I'll merely enjoy knowing we won't see him up there in that capacity again. Buh-bye, as they say...don't let the door hit you where the good Lord split you.