On yesterday, President Obama simply did not give President George W. Bush, who against great unpopularity, maintained a commitment to staying the course in Iraq. He also championed the surge strategy that ultimately led to significant success in Iraq. Now, whether you like President Bush or not, you have to admit that he did start the Iraq War; therefore, he should have been given more credit by President Obama for the success in Iraq and for helping to provide the troops with the support they needed to come home with the honor that they have earned.

Instead of giving President Bush a truly appreciative tribute, President Obama elected to simply tell him thank you for his “love of country” and his support of the troops. Wow! Really? That was such a general acknowledgement of President Bush that it could have been for anyone who supported the troops and who love America. I was deeply disappointed by President Obama’s failure to do the right thing and give President Bush the proper credit he deserves.

In general, I thought President Obama’s primetime address to the nation was quite weak. He lacked focus. He went from one thing to the next without giving any substance on any issue. I think that President Obama is a really nice guy, but his performance in office thus far has not been satisfying at all. I was really hoping to hear him give the American people a serious national security and foreign policy address, but he gave us a bunch of random statements instead.

In short, President Obama totally disrespected President Bush by not giving him the true praise he deserves for helping to bring the troops home with the honor they have earned. I will continue to look for President Obama to ameliorate his performance in office.

Antonio Maurice Daniels

University of Wisconsin-Madison