Bush tells citizens he acted in nation's interest

WASHINGTON: Unpopular but unbowed, President George W. Bush defended his tumultuous two terms in a farewell address to the nation Thursday night, claiming a series of successes at home and aboard. Reaching back to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, when the public rallied behind him, Bush declared the United States will “never tire, never falter and never fail.''

Leaving office with the highest disapproval rating since Richard Nixon, Bush said, “You may not agree with some tough decisions I have made, but I hope you can agree that I was willing to make the tough decisions.''

A bookend to eight years indelibly marked by terrorism, two wars and recessions, the brief speech offered Bush one last chance before he leaves office Tuesday to defend his presidency and craft a first draft of his legacy for historians. He spoke from the East Room of the White House just 112 hours before he is to leave office.

It was his final public appearance until he greets President-elect Barack Obama on Inauguration Day at the White House's North Portico.

Bush called the inauguration of Obama, the first black president, a “moment of hope and pride'' for America.

“Standing on the steps of the Capitol will be a man whose story reflects the enduring promise of our land,'' he said. Bush's presidency began with the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil and ends with the worst economic collapse in three generations.

“Facing the prospect of a financial collapse, we took decisive measures to safeguard our economy,'' he said. “These are very tough times for hardworking families, but the toll would be far worse if we had not acted. All Americans are in this together. And together, with determination and hard work, we will restore our economy to the path of growth. We will show the world once again the resilience of America's free enterprise system.''

On national security, he highlighted his administration's efforts to equip the nation with new tools to monitor terrorists, freeze their finances and foil their plots. He also acknowledged some of his controversial policies, including the program to carry out terrorist surveillance without judicial oversight and to allow harsh interrogation of terror suspects.

“There is legitimate debate about many of these decisions, but there can be little debate about the results,'' said Bush, who also reiterated his belief that spreading human liberty and freedom offers an alternative to extremism. “America has gone more than seven years without another terrorist attack on our soil.''