Bush's last Christmas as president

Posted: Tuesday, December 23, 2008 10:42 AM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: White House, John Yang

From NBC's John Yang
President Bush heads to the presidential retreat Camp David for his last Christmas this afternoon. It will be the 12th Christmas he's spent there -- four when his father was president and eight during his own presidency.

The Bushes have chosen to spend both their Thanksgivings and Christmases at Camp David in order to give the White House Residence staff those days off. Camp David, on the other hand, is a military facility and is staffed 24/7.

It will be a family Christmas. The guest list includes the president's parents, Mrs. Bush's mother, their twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna Bush Hager, their new son-in-law, Henry Hager, and the Mr. Bush's siblings and their families.

The day after, the Bushes will head to their Prairie Chapel Ranch outside Crawford, Texas, where they'll stay until early January.

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Comments

"President Bush heads to the presidential retreat Camp David for his last Christmas this afternoon."

What, is he going to die within the next year?

Pete - Albany, NY (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 10:49 AM)

Hi everybody. Merry Christmas.

I sure hope you all got to view Keith Olbermann's program last night; specifically the last 5 minutes. He spoke about us and all the hard work we put into the election campaign over the last year. Watching that scene in Grant Park the night of the election brought back something we have in just a few short weeks already forgotten about. It seems we have had nothing but bad news since our candidate was elected President.

I hope you get to re-visit that night over the holidays. I see myself slowly turning more and more away from the news because I have the feeling a large portion of the media will not be happy until they prove that Barack Obama is Richard Nixon, Geo. Bush and Dick Cheney all rolled into one. Welcome to the next 4 years. So take a moment while you can and re-visit election night and be very proud of not only what Barack Obama accomplished, but the determination we all put into helping him as much as was physically and economically possible.

Remember, the Republicans are going to smear President Obama 24/7, which means the media will do it also. So our voices need to be louder and informed. We need to raise the bar. That’s what electing Barack Obama was all about.

We helped get him there and we can't desert him because we don't agree with him 100% all the time. We should trust him to do the right thing. That's why we voted for him. I doubt he has forgotten that. He knows why he beat Clinton, McCain, Biden, Romney, Giuliani. He gets it.

It's why he ran for President in the first place. And thank goodness, he won. What a fortunate country we are. The GOP is done. Thanks to Barack Obama and thanks to us.

Now is the time to assist President-elect Obama in cleaning their mess up. And what a mess it is. He has his work cut out for him.

Pat, Boston, MA (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 10:50 AM)

Who cares, I hope that he has a hard time sleeping for the rest of his life. He sure put the screws to the people and the whole world. Cheney included.

MCJ Colorado (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 10:52 AM)

Less than a month and he's gone!!!!!

January 20th... let the celebrations begin.

Jim, Atlanta (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 10:56 AM)

President Bush is a class act. I will hate to see him leave office. He has protected us like no other president and I really respect him for that. Everyone have a Merry Christmas and remember that without Christ, it is just "mas".

Eric, Salinas CA (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:06 AM)

Good-bye, George. Stay in Texas...maybe they will appreciate you a bit more than the rest of this nation.

R. Olejarczyk, Sacramento, Calif. (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:07 AM)

Even though every source says that there was no improper connections, the sore-losers will continue to make this an issue. Just like Tony Rezko, Bill Ayers, Rashid Khalidi, Rev. Wright, and the mythical Kenyan birth cirtificate. Even if the document shows nothing, they'll scream their heads off that there's a conspiracy.

29 Days Until Inauguration Day!
http://jawillie.blog.com
jawillie, Philadelphia, PA.
Kind of like the last 8 years of sore-losers America has had to put up with from people like jawille. We are all aware of your postings, your sore-loser attitude and your blaming Bush for anything that went wrong. The example people like you set during the Bush administration have created a whole new playing field for the president elect. Surprising how quick role reversal makes you understand the whiners some people can be. Funny it took you this long to see it. President Elect Obama provides a multitude of material in his associations and past to work with. 28 days until the game is real. Warm-ups and practice will be over. Accountability activated. 28 days until game on.

Pete, Salinas, CA (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:07 AM)

"conspiracy with some of the simularities"

What similarities are you alluding too. Did Blogo break into the RNC office and Obama knew about it.

What a non-issues this is, but-hey "spin" away.
Chris @ SLC

Guessing that’s all you know about it. It centers on the potential for lying, cover up and over course, the taped conversations which were key in that incident. Watch the movie.

Steve K., Tacoma (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:10 AM)

Who cares, just as long as they're gone Jan 20th.

Cyphers (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:10 AM)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Marcus D., Chicago (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:11 AM)

The day after, the Bushes will head to their Prairie Chapel Ranch outside Crawford, Texas, where they'll stay until early January

...oh you mean their fake ranch for the easily conned and eternally stupid? Bought in 1999 for the presidential run, sold in 2009 after greatest con job known to modern man...good riddance to this most incompetent of presidents

Rick, NC (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:13 AM)

Thank goodness. Cannot wait until that man is out of office. Am fearful of the harm he can still cause our country.
MSNBC, have been wondering for quite some time if you are in financial trouble?? You do not report news on Sat and Sun and today most of what you have is OLD news. Very slow in updating or not at all.
I hope this is not the case, as you are so much better than CNN in allowing bloggers speak without
editing and look forward to your articles.
Have to admit do not watch you except for Keith Oberman and Rachel Madaw. Cannot stand morning Joke
and some of your others.
Good Luch and Happy Holidays.

katiec Pekin, IL (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:13 AM)

Maybe Santa will give them all lumps of "Clean Coal" for Christmas.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

28 Days Until Inauguration Day!
http://jawillie.blog.com

jawillie, Philadelphia, PA. (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:21 AM)

All Bush is getting for Christmas is a lump of Coal! He's been on Santa's naughty list for the last 8 years!

Pat Huntington NY (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:23 AM)

Bush who?

Howie (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:26 AM)

Merry Christmas to the Bush family. I truly believe the President did the best job he knew how to do. Current events seem to indicate the job performance was not what we needed... Who knows how history will judge these past 8 years. But I wish you all well.

Melanie L, New Jersey (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:30 AM)

I hope he remembers and figures out why so many people didn't like him and understands his mistakes. There is so much that he could have done better.

S.B. Stein E.B. NJ (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:31 AM)

It's about time we hear about how the Bush's treat others with kindness and respect. They are good people and I believe history will treat President Bush very well. We need the perspective of time. 9/11 happened 9 months after his inauguration. The terorists had been here for many years plotting and planning and learning how to fly airplanes. Whose watch was that under?

Sarah Reilly, Minneapolis, Minnesota (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:36 AM)

The day after, the Bushes will head to their Prairie Chapel Ranch outside Crawford, Texas, where they'll stay until early January.
******************************************************

Why don't they just stay there so the White House can be thoroughly cleaned before January 20th? It's not like he's working anymore.

Diane from Illinois (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:37 AM)

It's Sasha and Malia's home now. Sigh of relief.

Amy B Portland, ME (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:40 AM)

LAST XMAS IN THE WHITE HOUSE FOR OLE GWB THANK GOODNESS HE CAN TAKE HIS REPUBLICAN STINCH BACK TO TEXAS WITH HIM!!!!
ADIOS GEORGIE

GREG REMINGTON (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:40 AM)

i wish the president and his family a merry x-mas and happy new year. i am also glad that in less than a month he will be out of the white house and we as americans will begin a hopeful period of correcting the many wrongs left behind by president bush's administration.

where are the blog topics today. are you guys on vacation already? chuck was up and at it early this am. saw him on morning joe.

ace (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:43 AM)

Put up a nice big stocking Georgie, Santa has a ton of coal for it.

eagle1776 (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:44 AM)

Bush should stay there until the 20th. That way we are not subject to the idiot's arrogance, smugness, IQ of 10, incompetence yada yada yada.

cindy, Las Vegas, Nv (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:54 AM)

as if we really care. he was the most idiot president this land has seen. watch out for his brother, another idiot, on the list of future presidents.
help god free this land from bushes and clintons.

Laura, NY (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:54 AM)

I WOULD LIKE TO WISH PRESIDENT AND MRS. BUSH AND THEIR FAMILY A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.
THANKS TO MR. BUSH FOR BEING A GREAT PRESIDENT AND
KEEPING US ALL SAFE.
FRANCES BOATRIGHT
BRUNSWICK, GA

FRANCES BOATRIGHT, BRUNSWICK, GA (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:59 AM)

goodridance bush, you did more harm than good, still though enjoy your last christmas as president, it wont happen again

samir, rockville, MD (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 12:14 PM)

This is great. The last time George W. Bush does anything as President is great for the country. He has done enough and now it's time for him to leave. He will NOT be missed.

Benny Dolatshahi, Burke, VA (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 12:16 PM)

Hussein spends millions for his retreat in Hawaii. What a waste. Hopefully all he'll get is a lump of coal and fried chicken.

Michael Moore (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 12:18 PM)

George W. Bush - THE END OF AN ERROR

Rick in LA (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 12:30 PM)

The best Christmas gift President Bush can give the American people is to make the transition smooth and then fade away. It's the least sacrifice he can do for his country. Millions of Americans have been financially sacrificed and yet he seems oblivious to it. In his official White House portrait he looks like everything's peachy. History, I think, will remember him as reckless, shortsighted,out-of-touch,uncorporative and arrogant. If any of his Bushwacker advisors gave him sound advice during his administration he sure didn't follow it. It wasn't the Grinch who stole Christmas, it was the Bushwacker.

Joe Sepeda,Early,Texas (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 12:36 PM)

Too bad all of you do not realize that the "mess" we are in started way before GW got there. But unfortunately, the people that need to read and study are the ones that want to blame everything on him.
The last eight years have been controlled by a lazy, spoiled, I am entitled public.
The choices people, companies, and banks made were based on greed alone, not controlled by the government.
The government now is espected to come and clear up the choices people made, shame on all of you.
It is so easy to blame the President when all he ever did was listen and go on information given to him from prior years (Clinton years) and his advisors, which are gone now.
Blame has to be on everyone's shoulders, think before you do something, and wait until you can afford it. You know, the old way of doing things, not this I want it now and I am entitled to it. If I can not handle it then I can blame someone else and they can bail me out.
Think hard about YOUR own actions in 2009, the new President may promise lots, but be patience it may not all come the way you want it.

Sam Smith, Charlotte, North Carolina (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 12:43 PM)

President Bush is a great president and good person. All the bashing he has received over the past 8 years by the democrats was not deserved. If they disagreed with him, so be it, but in my opinion they fully intended to smear his name and never gave him credit for keeping this nation safe. Shame on them. Now they want us all to get in line behind "their president" when all they did was complain and bellyache for the past 8 years. Well now they have control of the House, Senate and Presidency. Let them put their money where their mouth is...if they fail now they only have themselves to blame. I've never seen a group so bitter and unwilling to work for the common good of the American people...they are more interested in their own agenda's and staying in power that the good of the country.
I hope Obama is smarter than they are, he's got his work cut out for him!

Cathy, Grand Rapids,MI (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 12:43 PM)

Francis, thanks for being upfront and honest about your support. its nice to see some intelligence rather than high school talk on this blog. I wish President Bush well and thank him for his efforts while in office and I also wish Obama to do well too. keeping God in front will be his best avenue.

Michelle, Texas (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 12:44 PM)

I WOULD LIKE TO WISH PRESIDENT AND MRS. BUSH AND THEIR FAMILY A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.
THANKS TO MR. BUSH FOR BEING THE WORST PRESIDENT IN HISTORY, AND KEEPING US ALL SAFE EXCEPT FOR THE 1ST 9 MONTHS OF YOUR PRESIDENCY! WAY TO KEEP US SAFE GEORGIE BOY!

Chris, Albany, NY (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 12:49 PM)

Pete, Pete, Pete - why you feel the need to pick on jaillie all the time bugs me. Lets play nice Pete. I have respect for your opinion, and let you have your say. We are all here to voice our opinions. It's called freedom of speech!!!!!!!!!!!!!

cindy, Las Vegas, Nv (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 12:50 PM)

Keep him away from the candy canes, wouldn't want him to choke. Have fun in your last White House X-Mas, party is over after you leave the office dude. The law will come for you. Enjoy your last year of being invincible.

Matt, San Diego, CA (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 12:55 PM)

You know it is disappointing to see how we are so disrespectful to the leader of our country. It is one thing to criticize when he has done (not that any of us will ever be in his position, let alone know the "right" thing to do. It is sure easy to be a "Monday morning" quarterback). It is another thing to criticize him as a person. What an awful example we are setting for the younger generations. No wonder why we have such upheaval in our society/lack of respect for each other.

Cal Haddad, Canton, MI (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 12:58 PM)

is it me or is it obvious George is like waiting for the short bus to take him back home and he is all packed tapping his foot as though the short bus is late, and in the meantime he just looks at his watch thinking any minute now ... he has shown his or lack of sincerity trying to prove to the american public that his presidency has not been in vain but its a little late for that On Jan 20th I will be celeberating two major events watching George leave and watching Barack Arrive , then it will be a joyful day! now what can make it better ? Fire Morning Joe and send that boy packin back to Fla or to Fox news then it will be a most joyful day.

Steve Brozene (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 1:05 PM)

Good f-in ridance to the worst POS in history. The POS has ruined what this country stood for, for many years, it will take many years and a lot of blood sweat and tears to fix what he and his merry band of co-horts have done. Nothing but pure facts and nothing but no respect for a POS that did not care about upholding the Constitution and the laws of this countryto which he was sworn by oath to uphold. Time to lock this POS up where he belongs.

Terry, Disabled Vet, Des Moines, IA (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 1:05 PM)

And in 4 to 8 years it will be Obama's last year as President, if he doesn't resign first. So what's the big deal?

Bush has done some good things as president? Hussein was a menace and I'm glad he and his sons are gone.
No terror attacks completed since Bush started Homeland security and at least 25 foiled. America had donated more bucks to Africa to fight Aids than and saved hundreds of thousands of lives. Thank Bush for that. Late help for Katrina was not a high mark but remember that Mayor Nagin was the one who left the 400 school buses in 8 feet of water and the governor waited four days to send the National Guard.
The police force left the area except for a few and looting was rampant. And the levee engineers were warning the locals to vote to strengthen them but casino gambling won out year after year. None of this is Bush's fault. The war in Iraq in simply a matter of opinion. Most libs vote for abortion. I never would. And that's another opinion.

Anyway, thanks to President Bush. Depending on how Obama does, we might wind up missing you.

Monkberry Moon Delight (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 1:07 PM)

FRANCES BOATRIGHT of BRUNSWICK, GA is out of his mind if he things George Bush is a great president. Like they say, "01/20/09, END OF AN ERROR".

Benny D. Burke, VA (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 1:08 PM)

Wow ~ I thought that being the President of the Great United States of America should bring a person some respect. Oh my heavens! RESPECT - did you do the job he did? You don't have the b***s to do it. And as far as making the Bush's leave the White House so it can be cleaned - I PRAY that the "charming little girls of the obamas DO NOT reck anything with more history than they have life!
I praise PRESIDENT BUSH - since I was in the United States Army while he was in office. If you weren't in the Military OR didn't vote - then I feel the people shouldn't have the right to speak "trash" about anyone. I LOVE this NATION and proved it - did any of you?

kbell Fort Worth, Texas (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 1:09 PM)

I agree with Frances Boatright, I rue the days after 1/20/2009. How easily we forget 9/11 and safety.

Brenda, Keedysville, MD (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 1:12 PM)

For you pityful people that believe that GW was the cause for all the problems in the world, take a look in the mirror and you'll find the demon is yourself. I like the fact that he makes no excuses and he rests easy with decisions he has made, and this ticks people off. Move on folks and hope Obammy does well. I don't like Obammy's politics, but I am rooting for him.

GA,Edgewood,KY (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 1:12 PM)

How do all of the democrats expect any of the republicans to have respect for our newly elected president when all they do is disrespect the current president? I guess everyone that bad mouths Bush could do a better job. I don't think so. Why don't you keep your comparisons to yourself until we actually see Obama in action. He might not be as good as you think and talk about having a first lady as a role model. That's a joke. Merry Christmas to the Bush family. I will miss my Christmas card next year from you!

Renee, Cincinnati, OH (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 1:14 PM)

Go home, W, and stay there until Jan. 20. Minimize the possible damage you can still do.

Ol' Lefty, Westminster, Md (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 1:16 PM)

Merry Christmas George W. Bush! You are one of few Presidents with enough courage to stand against evil dictators, communist governments, and the liberals who would rather see their country fall, than protect it from the very real threat of terrorism. You have sacrificed your political career to ensure the safety of your people. May we never forget the strength and courage it takes to stand against all enemies, foreign and domestic. For those who don't understand, may you have the ability to forgive them. May God bless.

Dee, MD (Sent Tuesday, December 23, 2008 1:16 PM)

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