Okay, so maybe you won’t be thanking me, but according to Condoleeza Rice, you will be thanking Bush for all he’s done. I love ya, Condi, but are you serious? Apparently so:

“This isn’t a popularity contest. I’m sorry, it isn’t. What the administration is responsible to do is to make good choices about Americans’ interests and values in the long run — not for today’s headlines, but for history’s judgment,” she said.

She then goes on to say that diplomats who say people in the rest of the world don’t like Americans are wrong and that historians who think Bush was a craptastic president are also incorrect. Additionally, she says, “there is no spoon.”

Less than three weeks and he’ll be gone! Will you miss him? Me either.

Speaking of (not) missing Bush, Politico has a list of people we will miss in 2009. I totally agree with their pick of Governor Ed Rendell. I kind of adore my state’s governor, even though some people think he’s a prick. A commenter on a Jezebel post referred to him as “the Gregory House of politics” and I think that is the best short description of him I’ve ever read. He’s honestly sleazy–a true political figure. He is also the first major candidate I voted for when I reached legal age. The list doesn’t mean these folks will disappear completely; they’re simply stating that these figures more than likely won’t be fixtures on CNN. Joe Biden, Dick Cheney and Howard Dean also make the list.

Surprisingly lacking from the list is Grandma Palin. Oh, wait, that’s because we won’t miss her. Ever. (Or perhaps because the media plans on keeping her around. Ew.) Sarah Palin’s daughter Talladega–I mean Bristol–gave birth to a son in December. His name is Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston and his baby pictures are worth $300,000 to People magazine. Please insert name jokes, drug-addicted mother-in-law jokes and jokes about babies shooting wolves from helicopters here.

Al Franken might get to be a Senator.  According to one report he’s leading by 48 votes with about 1,600 absentee ballots (thought to favor him) to be counted.  Commenters on CNN’s Political Ticker seem to agree that if these folks don’t want people speculating, perhaps reports with random numbers illustrating who is ahead shouldn’t surface every few hours.  Interesting idea!  If this much attention had been paid to Florida in 2000, we might be driving cars that run on sunshine and love by now.

Speaking of the dude who is responsible for the deployment of my friend’s husband, Georgie made some pardons this week and now he seems to want us to pardon his pardon.  No, I didn’t drink the special eggnog before I wrote that sentence.  Bush wants the pardon of Isaac Toussie, who was involved with some false statements about mortgage fraud, re-examined.  In addition to that sour pardon, USA Today reports that Alan Maiss, who was pardoned of “concealing knowledge of a crime,” donated to Bush’s campaign in 2003 and 2004.  The list of pardons is pretty basic, but at the risk of being totally crass, I would like to point out that Bush also commuted the prison sentence of Reed Prior who was convicted of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. (I apologized because I am now going to make the following joke: It was too soon to let Bristol Palin’s mother-in-law off the hook).

Exhibit A

I really should cover the Illinois Governor and his dumb scandal, but I really don’t see the point.  I mean, look at the guy.  He clearly looks like he sells used cars, so I’m not sure why everyone is so surprised that he was trying to sell a Senate seat.  I don’t think Obama was like, “Oh hey, why don’t you put this up on eBay and we’ll split the profit!”  So that’s the most justification I’m going to give that, because I don’t think it is all that interesting.  Sorry.

Everybody’s been weighing in about Obama picking Rick Warren to do the invocation at inauguration, so I’m going to join in.  Yes, the man disagrees with some foundation ideals of the Democrats and a lot of us have a right to be pissed off about it, but it’s kind of an olive branch to that whole red side of the country that we clobbered in November.  And, in case you didn’t notice, it’s a prayer.  At the beginning of the inauguration.  If we’re going to be pissed about anything, could it be that?  I really would love to see a greater separation of church and state, but that is another rant for a time when I’m not crashing from my sugar cookie high.  Also, can we put a spotlight on the fact that Joseph Lowry, “considered the dean of the civil rights movement,” will be giving the benediction.  Can I get an amen?