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President Biden, as Bush wrote to Clinton, ‘your success is now our country’s success’

George H.W. Bush may not have started the tradition of the outgoing president leaving a note in the Oval Office for his successor, but the words he left for Bill Clinton may be most fitting for the time we are in.

Bush wrote to the man who defeated him — the last time a sitting president did not successfully seek re-election — “I wish you well. I wish your family well. Your success now is our country’s success. I am rooting hard for you.”

The election of 2021 was arguably the most divisive since America was embroiled in Civil War. There are millions of Americans, including many of you reading this now, who are unhappy that Joe Biden is now president of the United States. Some of you believe Biden was not legitimately elected.

But the fact remains, he is our president. And unless he becomes the first chief executive since Richard Nixon to fail to complete a term to which he was elected, Biden will be our president for at least the next four years.

That means, as Bush said to Clinton so many years ago, his success is now our country’s success.

Success is this instance is not defined by enacting every liberal policy under the sun or pretending the opinions of those who disagree with him don’t matter. What it means is if President Biden is successful in getting COVID-19 under control, getting our economy back to where it was before the pandemic and protecting us from those around the world and, unfortunately, those here at home who would do us harm, that would be an unqualified success for America.

We will likely not agree with many of Biden’s policy positions. But we do wish him success in guiding our nation through one of its most turbulent periods in recent history.

Mr. President, your success is now our country’s success. And we are rooting hard for you.

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