Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

As I was watching the inaugural address on Tuesday, I was mostly very pleased with our new president. One thing that I couldn’t fully wrap my head around, however, was the large amount of disrespect and near spite that Obama showed to the Bush administration in his speech.
It’s obvious that we had a unpopular president in Bush. He left office with the lowest poll ratings in modern history. But that doesn’t mean that Obama has to essentially rub that in his face when he is sitting only a few feet away. His speech should have been a time to look forward, not back.

Obama only mentioned Bush’s name once, in the required thank you at the beginning, but it was pretty obvious that some of the things he said were direct shots at the former president. Saying that “we are ready to lead once more,” and criticizing “our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age.” These aren’t criticisms of average Americans; these are shots at Bush, who Obama took shots at relentlessly during his entire campaign. There isn’t an inaugural address in recent memory where the incumbent has criticized the lame duck in such an obvious manner.

Bush has been helpful, courteous, and respectful throughout the entire transition process, can’t we show him a little respect on his first day
as a former?