From White House Spokesperson Dana Perino:
Continuing a ritual that dates back to George Washington, President Bush will deliver a farewell message to the American people Thursday night. He will reflect on his time in office and the ways our country has changed these past eight years. He will also uphold the tradition of presidents using farewell addresses to look forward – by sharing his thoughts on greatest challenges facing the country, and on what it will take to meet them.
The White House Press Office has asked the networks for time for this address.
Background: Presidential farewell messages have taken on different forms over the years. Early presidents delivered them as written messages that were printed in newspapers. More recent Presidents, like Clinton and Reagan, have delivered speeches from the White House. Others, like Carter and Ford, have gone to Capitol Hill to deliver a final State of the Union address. All recent farewell addresses have been evening speeches. President Bush’s speech, 10-15 minutes in length, will be delivered Thursday evening from the East Room of the White House.
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