Published: November 13, 2008 07:08 am            

OUR VIEW - Nov. 12

Leading by example

President Bush has made extraordinary efforts to ease the transition to the next administration. Bush vowed to make the transfer of power as smooth as possible, and he's making good on his word, providing President-elect Obama with unprecedented access to top advisors on all fronts.

"Ensuring that this transition is seamless is a top priority for the rest of my time in office," Bush said Saturday in his weekly radio address. "Our country faces economic challenges that will not pause to let a new president settle in."

It's not just the economy that faces a threat.

"This will also be America's first wartime presidential transition in four decades," Bush continued. "We're in a struggle against violent extremists determined to attack us - and they would like nothing more than to exploit this period of change to harm the American people."

Thanks for putting the country above politics, Mr. President.

Local officials, take heed. There's a lesson here for us.

Less is at stake in Suwannee County than on the national stage, of course. A misstep during the transition to a new superintendent of schools or clerk of court certainly won't spell disaster.

Let's follow the president's lead nonetheless. After all, what's good for Suwannee County is good for all of us. And we shouldn't need a reason to behave in civil fashion.

        

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