New Photo Caption Contest: What Is Bush Thinking While Obama Is Speaking at His Library Opening?

A gathering of former presidents always makes me misty-eyed for several reasons. First, it is a reminder of how members of this exclusive club clawed each other’s eyes out during their respective presidential campaigns and then later bonded together to do good things.

Second, is reminds us that our nation’s orderly transition of presidential power sets such a wonderful example for the rest of the world.

Now, with all the presidential and first lady group photos to choose from as a result of the Bush Library dedication, why did I chose the one above for our caption contest?  The answer is rather simple. After decades of observing  presidential politics, I do not recall that there has ever been a president who has used his predecessor as an excuse for his own failings as often and as long as Obama has used George W. Bush.

So now that you know the reason why this photo was chosen, it is your turn to write the perfect caption. Of course while doing so, you must obey our contest rules which are “be nice and stay classy because the media is watching.” Just follow the example of our last contest winners and you will do fine.

Finally, with all the good feelings and nostalgia that were generated today towards President George W. Bush at his library opening — coupled with Bush’s rising post-presidency approval rating — I can not help but call attention to a piece that I co-authored in 2010 titled “Will Bush Be The Next Truman?” Fifty years after Truman left office, historians revisited his unpopular presidency and, as a result, Truman garnered new respect and soaring post-presidential approval ratings. This was after Truman left office with a lower approval rating than George W. Bush had!  Now it actually appears that Bush has the potential for a similar Truman trajectory of approval and respect.

Now it’s time to start writing contest captions about our 43rd president listening to our current president, who would not have been elected or reelected if it hadn’t been for that deadly media disease known as Bush Derangement Syndrome.

Miraculously, even though Obama has continued many of Bush’s policies, this disease has been completely eradicated!