"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."
~Theodore Roosevelt
"Citizenship in a Republic,"
Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris
April 23, 1910
I just wanted to put up a quick thank-you note of sorts for all of you who have been working so hard in the arena.
You have proven that our democracy is still breathing, even as our government has attempted to suppress those who want it to flourish. You have fought and you have given. And you should all be very proud, for you have honored all of those who fight, or have fought, for this country - even if they might disagree with your politics - by taking your role as a citizen soldier seriously.
Lastly, I just want to remind everyone to remember that when we have done everything we can do, the rest is out of our control. At some point tomorrow, take a breath and realize you cannot control other people's actions. But that you've done all that you could.
And most importantly, remember there is something George W Bush cannot control.
1.20.09
No matter what happens tomorrow, that will be George W. Bush's last day.