In one of his last acts as President of the United States, George Bush issued a Presidential Proclamation marking “National Sanctity of Human Life Day 2009”. It is the last such public declaration of pro-Life principles we are apt to see for quite awhile.

Please take a moment to savor these words from a national hero:

“All human life is a gift from our Creator that is sacred, unique and worthy of protection. ..[O]ur country recognizes that each person, including every person, waiting to be born, has a special place and purpose in this world.”

As we await the onslaught of destruction stemming from the next President’s rabid commitment to abortion-on-demand, it is well to pause and give thanks for the extraordinary leadership offered by George Bush during these last eight trying, productive years.

The critical evaluation of Bush’s presidency has just begun; certainly there are failings which continue to trouble conservatives. But some, like Fred Barnes, have already attempted to quantify Bush’s successes as president; on his top-ten accomplishments list, however, Barnes fails to acknowledge Bush’s most important contribution to America.

Without doubt, Bush is America’s greatest pro-Life president. His only real competitor is Ronald Reagan, who is first in the hearts of pro-Lifers. But Bush’s record of accomplishment is actually wider and deeper – perhaps even more long-lasting than Reagan’s.

Foremost among his accomplishments is the failure to fail to betray his expressed principles for the sake of political expediency. That probably sounds like a back-handed compliment – but the truth is, we have come to expect the need to explain away certain actions by endorsed presidential candidates. Not so George Bush.

Still ranking among his most extraordinary moments as president is the national TV address (in prime time, we remind you) in August, 2001 when President Bush proudly defended his pro-Life value system and refused to be cowed by the Abortion Lobby and their pals in the national media into supporting the destruction of human embryos for their stem cells.

But there are other precious moments.

Bush led efforts to finally secure the Partial Birth Abortion Ban. He appointed pro-Life justices to the Supreme Court and beyond. He signed the national Unborn Victims of Violence Act. And he took aggressive steps to get America out of the business of exporting abortion like wheat and Hollywood mores.

Thank you so much Mr. President for your faithful leadership. You have well-earned our love and a season of rest for you and your family.

May God save the United States of America as we turn the page of history.