Four farewells and a hello
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/01/15/art.getty.capitol.dome.jpg caption="Amid all the farewells is a hello. Roland Burris is scheduled to be sworn in Thursday as the junior Senator from Illinois."]WASHINGTON (CNN) - It's a day of four farewells and a hello here in the nation's capitol.
President Bush goes in front of cameras in prime time tonight to give a farewell address to the country.
This morning Joe Biden says goodbye to the chamber where he's served for 36 years. The senior Senator from Delaware is stepping down in advance of his inauguration Tuesday as Vice President of the United States. Also giving farewell speeches today on the Senate floor are Senators Hillary Clinton of New York and Ken Salazar of Colorado. Clinton's in line to serve as Secretary of State in the incoming Barack Obama Administration and Salazar to serve as Interior Secretary. Both Clinton and Salazar are expected to be confirmed by the Senate.
Amid all these farewells is a hello. Roland Burris is scheduled to be sworn in this afternoon as the junior Senator from Illinois. Burris will be replacing Obama, who stepped down from his seat in November after winning the presidential election. Burris was named to the seat by embattled Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, who faces federal corruption charges and has been impeached by state lawmakers. Among the allegations is that Blagojevich tried to sell Obama's vacant Senate seat. Senate Democrats initially tried to keep Burris out of the Senate because of Blagojevich's legal and political troubles.
Don't worry nobody will miss either of these two losers!
Unfortunately, they are still around:( in other capacities.
Goodbye Mr. Bush; I really mean it.
Senators Clinton, Biden and Salazar, I congratulate you all, and look forward to wonderful years with you and our new administration.
God bless you all!
Bush's farewell.... it was a long time coming and it took too long to get here, especially since he wasn't supposed to have been in a job where we would have been subjected to his incompetency in the first place.
In any place, the 8 year stretch of time that will go down as some of the worst in American presidential history has come to an end. How in the world do we explain the incompetency of those years to our children and our grandchildren, of how America was damaged during the 8 year reign of Bush and company?
Which two are you referring to as losers? Clinton and Biden? Biden and Salazar? Salazar and Clinton? Bush and Clinton? Bush and Biden? There is any number of combinations here...so be a little less ambiguous. I daresay whichever two you are referring to will be missed moreso than not unless you're referring to Bush and his approval rating are suggesting that as of right now...he won't be terribly missed.
Hello and goobye...........very common in politics........in with the new.......out with the old......a perpetual greeting and farewell.
Wow, Hypocritical, who pissed in your Cheerios this morning? You are right, though, no one will miss them because they'll still be around. You know, as V.P. and Sec. of State!
And Maggie...I agree with you wholeheartedly. You've made some excellent points. I don't know how we will be able to explain these eight year to the upcoming generations. As a history teacher, it will be complicated to explain everything thats happened in the last eight years. But honestly...we've survived the last eight, so it looks as though we can survive almost anything...
Does anyone know how to spell GOODBYE in Russian?
Too bad the Senate 'hello' is no where near the caliber if the Senate 'goodbyes'.
As a New Yorker, I can say Hillary will be missed. She did our state proud. Thanks Hillary and best wishes!
I guess I'll be watching the cartoon network tonight!
While CNN was blabbing incessantly about little of consequence, viewers missed a wonderful farewell speech by Senator Joe Biden, soon to be our new vice president.
I watched it on CSpan, which is where I will be watching most of the Inauguration festivities. Reason: It is a real experience....all you hear is what is going on at the festivities, not the neverending blab blab of the media folks.
Sometimes, however, I do watch CNN's wrapup if they have speakers who have something to offer and who aren't too poliltical.
"Hello, Good-bye, I don't know why you say Goodbye, I say Hello!"....John Lennon / Paul McCartney
The best news is that 4 years from now after the "community organizer" is sent packing the next time we hear from Hillary or Joe will be thier obituaries.
Welcome back Clintons! Real change indeed.
@ missywissy: "Welcome back Clintons! Real change indeed."
That "change" line has been done, time to get new material.
Joe Biden:
Good-bye and welcome Mr. Vice President.
Hillary Clinton:
Good-bye and welcome Madam Secretary
Ken Salazar:
Good-bye and welcome Secretary of the Interior
George W. Bush:
Good-bye and good riddance...may you rot....you know.
Roland Burris:
You're a low-life for taking that appointment and may you rot....well you know the rest.
Well, I'm sure these senators knew what they were leaving behind when they accepted new positions. I'm sure there are plenty of qualified people to fill them. It's called change.
Sounds much like a Four Weddings and a Funeral
At least the Bush’s won't be stealing the place blind like the Clinton’s
Does this mean Ugly Betty will prempted?????
Couldn't agree more with Scarlett from MO. Burris is a low-life for accepting that appointment, an egomaniac. I don't doubt that he is qualified, or that he may do a good job. It's not a question of legality, but one of ethics.
To the citizens of the U.S., we have one President lets wish him well for the sake of us all.
Barack Obama is the smartest president we have elected and he is not addicted to sex or money. Let's get gehind it.
When do we get to say hello to Al Franken?