Mall Merchants Make a Buck off of Obama

Before the Inauguration takes place, Merchants on the National mall play to the popularity of Barack Obama.



Reporting from the University of New Mexico Journalism Program

Interview with Dr. E. Faye Williams

Dr. E. Faye Williams, National Chair of the National Congress of Black Women, discusses education and the Obama administration.

White House Briefing - Thursday, January 15

President Bush's farewell address to the nation tonight - his final public event until Inauguration Day - is being billed as a look back at his tenure and a look ahead at the challenges he says the United States will face.

The speech -- scheduled for 8:00 pm Eastern time -- will run 10 to 15 minutes and be delivered not from the Oval Office, but the East Room of the Executive Mansion. Bush has invited a small audience to join him, comprised, the White House says, of people chosen for their stories of personal courage.

Bush leaves office with one of the lowest approval ratings on record, and the president is now clearly focused on shaping his legacy. His farewell press conference Tuesday was a spirited defense of his handling of Hurricane Katrina, Iraq and the economy; tonight's address will undoubtedly feature more of the same.

Meantime, Republican strategist Ed Gillespie says Bush is in a good mood as the clock winds down.

"He's got a ton of energy, he's gotten winsome, I think, looking back at the last eight years," Gillespie said. "I wouldn't say he's emotional, but everyone here has gone through a lot together, and there's a great sense of appreciation for what everyone has done."

Like presidents before him, Bush plans to leave a private note in his Oval Office desk for Barack Obama. What will it say? Perino said Bush would probably write it Tuesday morning -- perhaps one of the last things he'll do as the 43d President of the United States.

Bush gives final press conference

As the January 20th exit date draws closer, George W. Bush gave his final press conference as President and took the opportunity to comment on his legacy, shortcomings, and the work that awaits President elect Barack Obama.

"Through it all, I have respected you," the President told the White House Press Corps, going on to joke that they had sometimes 'misunderestimated' him.

In regard to questions surrounding the remaining $350 billion of TARP funds, Bush explained that he is waiting for President-Elect Obama to ask for the TARP funds before sending the request to Congress.

When asked about the situation in Gaza, the President commented that he would like to see a two state solution and noted that in order for Israel to be successful, they would need a democracy along their border. On the subject of ending the conflict, Bush said that the responsibility lies with the Palestinians and that there can be no peace until Hamas stops firing rockets into Israel.

Bush stated that although there is a debate within the intelligence community, he believes North Korea is still a viable threat and capable of producing enriched Uranium.

The President commented on the future of his party, warning that the temptation may exist for Republicans to isolate themselves by looking inward and applying a litmus test to judge themselves by. Bush felt that the Republican party should try to be more broad minded and compassionate.

He stated that he was not sure why critics have been so harsh towards him and also denied the notion that America's moral standing had been diminished by his Presidency, saying that those allegations have been coming from elites in Western Europe and not from areas like Africa or Asia where U.S. influence matters most.

When questioned about preemptive pardons, the President refused to give a statement.

Bush acknowledged that there have been a number of mistakes and disappointments throughout his presidency, and cited the infamous "Mission Accomplished" banner, prisoner abuse in Abu Ghraib, and not finding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The President also regretted campaigning to alter Social Security so close after the 2004 election, saying that he should have focused on immigration reform instead.

One action that the President did not view as a mistake was the handling of Hurricane Katrina. Bush predicted that had he landed the plane in New Orleans or Baton Rogue, the diversion of police forces for his protection would have caused controversy as well. He also said that he felt it was unfair to call the response time slow, citing the 30,000 New Orleans residents who were rescued by helicopter after the storm hit.

Bush said that after his term, he expected to leave the spotlight, although he admitted that as a 'Type-A' personality, that was unlikely.

One glaring omission from the conference was an attempted question by veteran White House reporter Helen Thomas. Although having her hand raised for the final question, the President did not choose her.