Goodbye, Tony Blair

This is a sad article to read. I have always respected Tony Blair for his ability to shift the Labor party to the center and create a strong and lasting governing coalition in Britain. Nearly 11 years is a long time in power, to be sure. But when you read in depth the analyses of the last few years of Blair's tenure (in British online papers of all political stripes), it's clear that his close association with President George W. Bush has been a major drag on his popularity, his effectiveness, and his ability to get things done.

Looks like he'll be gone sometime mid-next year, though my gut tells me that once he's exposed his "belly", so to speak, the inevitable departure could ultimately take place much sooner than that.