Make Your Case on Anti-Terror, Mr. Bush

Republicans have fallen out of favor, and there’s probably nothing George W. Bush can say in his final days to change that. “But he could do his party—and the nation—a service by reminding Americans of our successes fighting the war on terror,” writes William Kristol. If Bush publicly explains how his detention, interrogation, and surveillance efforts have kept America safe, Obama will be able to “back off rash promises and continue most of the policies.”

Recent polls show that half the country is against closing Guantanamo Bay; Bush could easily boost those numbers if he campaigned for it. And he should try to preemptively pardon anyone who might be questioned for their war on terror service. The agents who waterboarded terrorists or wiretapped phones shouldn’t be prosecuted, writes Kristol: “In fact, Bush might want to give some of these public servants the medal of freedom.” (More George W. Bush stories.)