I'm having to pinch myself.
In a little over four days he won't be there. His smirk will be history.
Yes, he has time left for a few more "midnight orders" - permitting strip mining in a National Park, oil drilling offshore. He'll pardon more of his buddies, try to block prosecutions for torture. Probably he's left it too late to start another war - but hell, the Isrealis are fighting his last one for him.
But when he leaves the podium on Tuesday, flies in Airforce One (for the last time) to Texas - George W will become a has-been faster than any President in US history.
Of course Obama will let us down. Even now after two months of often bland appointments and little mistakes, most of us are still treating the guy as the new Messiah, about to fulfil Old Testament prophecy. And it won't be thus.
But, nonetheless, lets now all be thankful for the small mercy of American democracy. For all the crass slogans and money, for all the hysterics and overblown promises, it can produce some form of change. And most importantly, the Constitution, as amended, has rules preventing any human being from being in charge for more than eight years.
