RELATED: A statistical breakdown of George W.'s eight years in the White House

On an icy Jan. 20 in 2001, a youthful George W. Bush, his hair not yet all grey, flanked by daughters not yet grown, stood in front of the U.S. Capitol and delivered a high-minded inaugural address that invoked America's "grand and enduring ideals," appealing to civic duty and compassion, and referring repeatedly to the guidance of angels. He called for national unity, civility and "forgiveness" after the bitter 2000 election fight with Al Gore that was ended by the U.S. Supreme Court. "I will work to build a single nation of justice and opportunity," he pledged. Bush warned Americans, who were coming off of the longest economic expansion since the Second World War, not to get too fat and happy. "What you do is as important as anything government does. I ask you to seek a common good beyond your comfort."

To read that speech today is to be struck by the distance, both historical and rhetorical, that his presidency — perhaps the most controversial since that of Richard Nixon — has spanned. Midway through, Bush felt the need to argue that even in "a time of peace" the stakes are "never small." But the policy agenda laid out that day by the former Texas governor was modest and inwardly focused, emphasizing first of all his desire to reform public education. "Together, we will reclaim America's schools, before ignorance and apathy claim more young lives," said Bush. He also mentioned his goal of overhauling entitlements for the elderly and reducing taxes. He didn't dwell much on foreign policy, but vaguely noted he would "build our defences beyond challenge" and confront weapons of mass destruction.

Nearly eight years later, as he prepares to hand over power, Bush leaves behind a country and a world changed in ways no one could have imagined. As Democrats prepare for their convention on Aug. 25 in Denver, they will be running against a Bush legacy of multiple wars, an economic downturn, and a tarnished image abroad. They will be selling their candidate, Illinois Senator Barack Obama, with a murky but potent promise of "change." When the Republicans gather in St. Paul, Minn., for their convention on Sept. 1 they will face a more complex task of honouring the unwavering commander-in-chief who rallied and led them through the worst attacks in their nation's history, while at the same time uniting around a candidate, Arizona Senator John McCain, who is running against parts of the Bush legacy — his handling of the Iraq war, treatment of terrorism suspects, profligate government spending and mounting debt, and inaction on climate change.

The partisan portraits will not tell the whole story, of course, because the narrative is not tidy. Bush's legacy is more than the protracted war in Iraq. In some areas it is the result of hardline conservative ideology — but in others it is surprisingly liberal. Bush is the tax-cutting conservative who nonetheless grew the federal government in size and power. He is the former governor who championed states' rights while centralizing more power in Washington. He is the proponent of race-neutral policies who did more than any president before him to measure, track, and invest in the achievement of black and Latino children. He is the advocate of human dignity who authorized interrogation techniques that amount to torture. The passionate defender of liberty who circumvented laws to spy on his own citizens. The lover of freedom who toppled one dictator while propping up others. The progenitor of wars that killed thousands on one continent, and the humanitarian who spent unprecedented sums to save millions from disease on another.

Untangling and judging the Bush presidency with its complexities and inner contradictions will engage historians and politicians for decades. But there is no doubt that Bush achieved what Vice-President Dick Cheney once said he wanted: a presidency that was "consequential."

Sixty-eight per cent. That is how much total federal spending rose under Bush. That is more than double the growth in federal spending over the eight years of Bill Clinton's presidency. The Iraq war, which the Pentagon had initially estimated would cost US$50 billion, is now projected to cost some US$700 billion in direct spending, with some economists saying the total cost may be more than a trillion dollars with all associated costs.

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