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# Doug, New Jersey

You are a real jerk ! Find something meaningful to do instead of sitting around trashing the incoming 1st lady. Get it ! FIRST LADY ! Learn to live with it buddy. Give the woman a chance.

Why don't you go out and count the cars on the G S Parkway ?

As for Laura Bush, she is a nice lady and shouldn't be trashed by folks who can't stand GW. I can't stand him but I would never take my dislike of him to her.

I wish all you a very Merry Christmas and Peaceful New Year!

And what they don't tell you is that they have to keep W out of arm's reach of the tree because he doesn't know any better and tries to eat the ornaments. oooooooh, shiny....

To all the hatemongers out there:

Incompetent does not mean evil! Elect a C student and he'll do a C job. Their time has past and they are moving back to Texas. It's time to move on! Let GW go home in peace and continue his AIDs in Africa work as its the only truly great thing he has ever done and let Laura have one last Christmas in the White House in peace.

–how is George Bush not decent?–

Dishonest marketing of a war of choice.

Torture as policy.

Trampling on the Constitution. (What oath of office!?)

The Bushes will have another amazing Christmas while the American people will be losing jobs & homes. What a mess Bush had helped created. My Christmas wish for the Bush family is to live like my family....on a shoe string budget!

Reality December 3rd, 2008 2:07 pm ET

She should hang some yellowcake uranium from the tree. The same stuff Saddam was using to build nukes. You know, as a gentle reminder that the intelligence GWBush AND THE DEMOCRAT CONTROLLED CONGRESS relied on when going to war in Iraq was 100% correct.

umm reality you say is your name but I have to ask WHICH reality? the congress during the bush invasion and occupation of a soverign nation was republican controlled, the first six years we simp;ly had a rubber stamp congress controlled by the radical right sorry you cannot blame that on the republicans.

I wish the Obama's all good things. They will need all the help they can get to clean up this giant mess our country is in.

I'm glad that Laura Bush will continue her support for women in Afghanistan. I remember the horrors these women had to endure under alQaeda and the the Taliban - before U.S. presence there - anyone else remember?

To Ernie, You are truly misinformed and obviously ignorant. Why don't you do your homework before you show how stupid you are. I am a member of Obamas former church. And yes we do celebrate christmas we are christians. If you read some of the above comments about how past presidents have caused so much death to others including americans in this horrific war you will see that Rev Wright was not far off!!!!!!!!!!

Good riddance of the Bush's

who gives a CARE about what the WHite house christmas tree looks like, I am more worried about my tree and what is going to have under it this year for my CHILDREN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There will be NO Christmas in the White House next year....Obama's do not celebrate Christmas...when are some of you going to get it??? Everything will change come January 20th and we will be in a depression...Get ready...

"Reality December 3rd, 2008 2:07 pm ET

She should hang some yellowcake uranium from the tree. The same stuff Saddam was using to build nukes. You know, as a gentle reminder that the intelligence GWBush AND THE DEMOCRAT CONTROLLED CONGRESS relied on when going to war in Iraq was 100% correct. Of course, such subtlety would fly beyond the grasp of America's bought-and-paid-for media."

The war in Iraq was never 100% correct. It was never 1% correct. As it was said countless times and will be said many more, there never were any WMDs.

Some might argue toppling Saddam was for the good, but then when the situation demanded extreme diplomatic finesse, Bush just sent the artillery to try to bully the iraqis into obedience.

"The Obama's do not want a Christmas tree in the WH. They don't celebrate Christmas. What church do they go to?"
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Who do they celebrate Ernie, are you now considering them Jewish? Is it David? Are they Hindu? C'mon David, if you are going to perpetuate another right wing lie as you people do, why dont you make them a VooDoo family, call them Jewish, make them something really horrible that someone behind you will read and believe.....or....why don't you cut your atheism/anti-Christian/satan whorshiping rhetoric and say or write something you can feel good about? Cant do it? Trust me, bless your little mean-spirited heart, you are not alone.

Richard, The idiea of treating Obama the way the liberals treated Bush on the surfice sounds great, however there is just no way to do that, for that level of hatrid, indecency, dishonesty, and unwavering ability to want, hope and try to destroy the nation that gave you everyting that they hate so much is only available in the cold, hearless body of the liberal Democrat.

Just for fun check the voting record map by county. Then observe the muder, rape, crime, and auto accident levels per person in these countries. Yup, there are two Americas, the more libs the worse the place, the redder, the better the people. Dare ya CNN-Lol!!!

I really wish we would have seen more of Laura Bush during the last 8 years. She is a kind, intelligent woman who is highly involved with children and human rights. I'm not sure why she was kept in the background so much. *shrugs*

Many good wishes to your future Mrs. Bush, and thank you for making the transition for the President elect easier.

nando your funny you said she wish she is married to obama lol

"Why on earth would you talk about decorating trees in March when men and women are dying because of your husband. She's a Stefford wife of the worse kind."

Someone needs to get over their bitterness. Michelle Obama has described herself as "mom in chief". She is as much the so-called traditional housewife at Laura Bush.

we all like to say over and over that george bush is an idiot but he did keep us safe for the past eight years and yes times are really bad right now .maybe you guys who just want to knock him should run for president only then will you actually know what you are talking about as for laura shes a lady
the obamas look like a wonderful family but lets face it who cares what michelle wears its about if her husband can get the job done or not so get a life

The WTC was also attacked by terrorists in1993, and Clinton kept us safe the remaining 7 years. Why do conservatives give Bush credit after 2001, but not Clinton after 1993?

If you don't have anything nice to say – don't say anything. OK?

I always did like her. Never cared for her lesser half.

This is for Barry whose comment about the Kwannza tree was just plain stupid:

Michelle Obama will put that tree next to the tin can one that you can only afford to build using Mountain Dew cans. Tell the truth, you are really "Joe the Plumber" Idiot.

Just treat obama like the dems treated Bush. Remember obama is all about fairness

Where's the Barney Cam?

donna you need to take time out and read a little; there has been nothing good about W's presidency he is incompetent and it shows but it has hurt the American people more than it has hurt him...

Mickie- Apparently you are one of the crazy Liberals who thinks that terrorists who seek our destruction are worthy of the same rights as American citizens. Sorry bud, they are not. If there was a nuclear device hidden somewhere in New York and it was slated to go off in one hour, and we were holding a terrorist who knew where it was located would you be for doing anything we had to do to that terrorist to get him to tell us where it is so we could save hundreds of thousands of American lives? My guess is you would be against waterboarding him. You should be thanking Bush for keeping your family and yourself safe for 7 years

To Mikie,
I agree with you, US presidents have issued order to kill so many innocent people around the world..bombed German cities, nuked japan, or 11 day bombing of north VN, used chemical warefare such as agent orange, cluster bomb in south VN, invaded and occupied the south vietnam, invaded iraq, killed civilian and air raid village...
These American presidents should be brought to justice and impeached. They are all murderers

...Oh I forget, did you comdemn Rooservelt, , Truman, Nixon, Kemedy, Lyndon Johnson, or just singel out Bush ?

You've been a great first lady and thanks for welcoming Pres. Elect Obama and his family to the White House! Happy Holidays Mrs. Bush!

wow Doug we can tell by your conversation that you are one of those republican idiots

Larry you need to step back from the keyboard and think.
George Bush CREATED the trying times!
I agree that Laura Bush has been very gracious during the transition but Georgie Boy is a different story. History will be very unkind to him.
I am sure it will be a delight to watch the Obama girls grow up in the White House. I look forward to it.

Note to Barack:

If you see Michelle walking out of the house with prints for your inauguration, shove her in the closet and tell the press you don't know where she is.

Sweet Lady, this Laura Bush.

Thank you Laura Bush. You and George have served in the highest positions in the world. Few people have the chance to do this and most people think they could have done a better job. Apparently, we didn't see their names on the ballot. Maybe they weren't willing to serve their country or maybe their writing skills would have shown how ignorant and uncaring they really are.
You know there is a saying "that if you can't say something nice, say nothing at all". But of course we have to remember that this phase was related to the Golden Rule "Do onto others as you want them to do onto you". Is our population all missing thoughfullness.

George and Barbara – Thank you for being there for us during a very difficult period of time. Looking forward to your future work and seeing your library. Enjoy the rest of your lifes and God Bless you

I love the first family elect, but Michelle's taste in clothes is YUCK. Nice lady, but she dresses like an average bargain basement person. She needs to elevate the status of the First Lady–get a designer, and preferrably not one from Cuba. Like the one who designed that election night nightmare dress.

I like Michelle, but her taste in clothes are a little out there. I hope she hires someone to decorate the White House and the White House trees for the holidays.

If I see her in another print dress I think I'll puke polka dots.

She had a front row seat to the most disastrous presidencial era we've ever had. She sat by and watched her husband run this country in the ground. I have no respect for her.

Why on earth would you talk about decorating trees in March when men and women are dying because of your husband. She's a Stefford wife of the worse kind.

Tired of the Bushes, just leave lady.

I think since the majority of people posting on this article today are reflecting on the grace and decency of Laura Bush it might be a good time remember a little something about those two qualities.

It used to be, before the days of divisive hate politics when we ALL respected the office of the President, regardless of who occupied the White House. President Eisenhower, President Johnson, President Bush, President Clinton, get the idea, respect the highest office in the land. Disagree, respectfully. Comment on CNN blogs, respectfully. It is a part of our American heritage. Dissent is your responsibility as an American but respectful dissent is what makes our country great.

So the next time you decide to take a shot at PRESIDENT Bush or PRESIDENT-ELECT Obama, keep in mind that they were both elected BY THE PEOPLE and occupy or will occupy the highest office in the land. With all the tribulations facing us at home and around the world, would it not be helpful to return to a time of respect and decency in our dialogue at home?

Laura Bush is dumm as a door knob she didn't even know that Obama had an ornament on the tree she SUPPOSE TO HAVE DESIGNED!

TexasAnnie *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* December 3rd, 2008 2:26 pm ET

Laura always appears to me to be just about two steps away from "spaced out". Why on earth she would have married her nitwit husband GW is beyond me. Maybe it was the Bush money??? I think she could have done better.
And despite the fact that she might be a "nice lady", she has been an absolutely "do nothing" First Lady. She comes across as sort of a 'walk ten steps behind your man & don't ever speak' sort of thing.
______________________________________________________
Lobotomy

SHE WISH SHE WAS MARRIED TO OBAMA !

What a great lady, and Mrs Bush deserves the continued respect of this great nation. I would vote for this first lady and the first female president.!!!!!! Run Laura Run.

Next year, where will Michelle put the Kwannza bush?

To Dave in Central Illinois – by grace if you mean waterboarding, holding prisoners (even citizens) indefinitely without charges, suspension of habeus corpus rights, invading a country for its riches and pretending its to save the people, then yes, I guess he has shown more grace than the rest of us Obama supporters, because we value civil rights.

I will say that even though I don't care for Laura, especially after learning that she ran down her prom date, I will say she has been very gracious towards Michelle and the girls. That is unexpected and refreshing, merry Xmas! Oh, and Larry, every day you really make a complete idiot out of yourself, being that you are one of the few doorknobs who look at the righties as idols. Just a word of advice though, open your mind a little more and you might find out what the real world is all about. Instead of making a complete fool of yourself day in and day out posting pitiful nonsense. Anyways it is so wonderful now that you're in the minority to see how the right thinks, and thank the good Lord you're safely out of power and influence. But do please keep up the nonsense. Everything you post gives good reason as to why the country has outright rejected drones like you!

Laura always appears to me to be just about two steps away from "spaced out". Why on earth she would have married her nitwit husband GW is beyond me. Maybe it was the Bush money??? I think she could have done better.
And despite the fact that she might be a "nice lady", she has been an absolutely "do nothing" First Lady. She comes across as sort of a 'walk ten steps behind your man & don't ever speak' sort of thing.

Look, you can't just say "oops, sorry" on your way out the door after 8 years of blundering and expect people to forgive and forget. Yes, Bush had many tough challenges to face, but so does every president. Hard times should make a humble and wise man into a better president. They didn't with W because he's neither humble nor wise. He surrounded himself by the wrong people and stood fast in the wrong decisions.

At his core, he probably is an okay guy but he's still incompetent. He's messed up nearly every venture he's ever run. Face it...we elected a C-student and we got a huge mess as a result.

To say that he is judged too harshly because of the times is a cop-out. He mishandled one crisis after another and then acted as though anyone who criticized him wasn't one of those "real" Amercians Sarah Palin told us about.

Having said that, I do think that the Bushs have been very gracious to the Obamas and deserve credit for that. The peaceful transfer of power is one of the things that makes America unique and I'm glad that he (seems to) at least understand that.

All along I have thought Laura Bush to be intelligent, kind, gracious, and modest. Basically the opposite of her husband.
It's a head-scratcher, why is she with him???

A sweet woman like Laura could easily get "caught up" with a roughneck like W is portrayed in his early years – alcohol, cocain, womanizing, etc.

I hope that Michelle starts a tradition of inviting Laura back to the White House for a luncheon/Tea whatever to show some solidarity of the past and into the future.

I'd like to see any person run for president and please all the people. Face it the president isn't really the lawmaker, that would be Congress. Though you may not approve of some of the things Bush did while in office, he deserves respect for doing what he felt was right. His administration was faced with many difficult circumstances with the 9/11 attacks, and so many others. He could be bitter that his approval ratings have slipped and been bitter towards president elect Obama, but he has been very gracious. All of you who want to complain just remember never judge one until you have walked a mile in their shoes....your criticisms would be much less or desist totally.

I hope President Obama put the Merry back Christmas, Happy holiday is not the same as Merry Christmas

I like Laura,she is a lady.

Merry Christmas Mrs Bush.

A very nice message from the First Lady during this difficult holiday season. Although I disagree with President Bush on nearly every issue and am sorely disappointed with the state of the country, I must give both the Bushes props: President Bush is doing all he can to ease the transition for President-Elect Obama and Laura Bush has been very welcoming of the incoming First Family. I wish them all the best during this transition as all of our futures depend on the upcoming administration, no matter what political leanings we have. God bless the United States of America.

She should hang some yellowcake uranium from the tree. The same stuff Saddam was using to build nukes. You know, as a gentle reminder that the intelligence GWBush AND THE DEMOCRAT CONTROLLED CONGRESS relied on when going to war in Iraq was 100% correct. Of course, such subtlety would fly beyond the grasp of America's bought-and-paid-for media.

Laura Bush is the most gracious and elegant first lady in modern times. A role model for women everywhere. I also have great hopes for Michelle Obama who will be outstanding.

I can't wait to see Christmas at the White House with the Obama's. It will be sooo nice to see children in the White House again.

The Bush's are good people? That's funny. Have you been paying attention the last 8 years?

isn't it time for all the Bushes to crawl back under their rocks?

I like that FL Bush never seems to have an unkind word to say. I love that about her.
I hate that she never seems to have anything of *substance* to say. Feels like she's the First Stepford Lady. Vacant as a rich woman's ginger bread recipe.
I liked Nancy better. Michelle is going to make a lovely and smart first lady.

i think she voted for barack.

I know for a fact that she voted for Obama.

Laura Bush has always seemed like a sweet woman.

I can't believe the hateful comments after a very positive story.

Shameful.

I wish everyone would put aside their hate at this time of year but, alas, it is not to be.

While they clearly differ in ideology, I think the tough decisions that Obama is going to have to make during his administration will go to show that Bush isn't nearly the moron that a lot of people make him out to be. The same critics will have a lot to say about Obama in the end as well.

Everybody loves Laura.

And a great big Merry Christmas to those 57 million free Iraqis and Afganis again this year..

What a graceful comment. In keeping with the graciousness the Bush family has shown the Obamas.

Folks, at least President George Bush has kept you safe for the last 7 years you should at least consider this in your time of bashing him. Lets see if Obama can do the same.

Michelle Obama impresses as the pants wearer, the keeper of the home fires and is the linch-pin of the family, while her husband went out and furthered his lofty ambitions. This sounds like a pretty sterotypical family. At least they will be under one roof. Obama seems more about photo opts with his family then the glue that keeps it running.

What is your definition of "a decent person" and how is George Bush not decent?

God bless her for putting up with that moron for so many years!!!!!

She seems like a decent person. I bet she is very happy to be leaving Washington. She never seems completely comfortable there.

Thank you Laura Bush for being just a great representative of the good red parts of America that are filled with warm, friendly, kind and caring individuals who love this nation.

It will be sad to now have a militant, hateful, angry, first lady who has a deep seeded racism against those who look different than her, it sure sets the dream back big time.

The Bushes stole my theme! I've had my tree up since November 5th, and it's entitled "American Splendor" instead of "Red, White and Blue".

Unfortunately,now without the white house staff to aid her,this gracious lady will have to go back to reading bedtime stories to Shrub
all by herself.

And Dave in Illinois: I have yet to read one comment from you that is positive about anything...you obviously dislike anyone who doesn't believe whatever it is you believe, and bought into the whole Bush mantra of "Agree with me or you hate America." That's garbage, and because we ARE Americans, we not only have the right to disagree with our leaders, we have the responsibility to hold them accountable when they break laws, which Bush has done repeatedly in his life. So you can put Bush up there on the "he kept us safe" pedestal if you choose, but I choose to see the man for what he is and what he has done to this country, and that is trash it. I cannot respect that, nor will I forgive him for ignoring the summer 2001 warnings about terrorists in flight schools; lying us into war, and ruining our economy in Iraq.
To quote your "rising star" "It isn't mean-spirited to ask questions."

I adore Laura Bush. She is the only good thing to come from the Bush Administration.
BTW – she publically said (a couple years ago) that she dosen't think Roe vs Wade should be overturned.

Laura Bush has had zero impact as First Lady – the exact opposite of a trailblazer like Hillary.

Can you imagine her running for a US senate seat? Or as Sec. of State?

She is the 1950s model of a first lady and while maybe a nice person she is dull, boring and does not appear to be much smarter than her husband.

The Obama's do not want a Christmas tree in the WH. They don't celebrate Christmas. What church do they go to?

Dave, Central Illinois December 3rd, 2008 12:47 pm ET
The Bush's have showed much more grace than any Obamite that has posted their rants on these bloggs.
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Awww Dave, Seems you're the only one posting on here that still doesn't have the Christmas spirit.
Mrs. Bush and the Obamas should be an example of civility for us all. Including you.
You could use a little touch up on your typing skills and grammar too, ol' buddy.

I could really see why the Bushes are so nice to the Obamas' .Recently laura Bush has been very Talkative.Could this be she's just trying to be nice to President Elect so he can forgive and spare her husband from the Hague?

TO ALL BUSHBOTS AND OBAMABOTS:

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GODS BLESSINGS

FROM INDEPENDENTBOTS.

Although I understand they plan on staying in Dallas and their Ranch, Austin will enjoy seeing Laura Bush whenever she comes to town.

Thank you for your incredible Grace....

It will be missed!

Laura Bush is a bit more diplomatic than her husband. But I have to say that I really don't have a lot of respect for a woman (or women in general) who married a man like George Bush and stay with him through all these years. I suspect she has a bit of ambition as well.... she is just satisfied to work in the background. A type of Southern Belle behavior I recognize well from living in this state for 30 years. She has been gracious.

The Bush's are good people,they have been in office during a period of vary trying times,they inherited a lot of problem going in,just like Obama is now.I hope everybody chills out,at least the rest of this month.

I wonder how an apparently knowledgeable, intelligent, gentil woman like laura Bush ended up with an idiot like her husband.. I guess it is true she felt she could make him better, and she has at least he has stopped drinking and doing cocaine so she has made some improvements in her idiot husband anymore would be expecting a miracle and not being a member of the radical religious right (like both Laura and her idiot husband) I am not inclined to believe in miracles

what does the idiot bush know about freedom other than how to take them away that is

Merry Christmas everyone.

Mrs. Bush gives off such a different vibe than her husband :: Kind, giving, intelligent... Decent. (As another person here said.)

It makes me sad that she'll be forever connected to her husband - she diserves so much better than this!

Hopefully she's content with her lot...

The Bush's have showed much more grace than any Obamite that has posted their rants on these bloggs.

That was very nice of Ms. Bush.

Laura Bush has been a gracious First Lady, and she deserves our respect. Its got to be tough being married to W.!

I think Bush is a decent person, just a President at a bad time.

How exciting!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am EXTREMELY happy to see W leave office, but I have to say that he and Laura have made some really nice gestures towards the Obama's over the last few weeks. With his low approval ratings he could have acted a complete jerk, but he has not. I appreciate the effort at the end. Too bad it was not as evident during the bulk of his administration.

Will say that the First Lady does seem like a decent person, unlike her husband.