Bush does deserve respect and thanks, but we also have to recognize that he has largely failed as a conservative leader -- and is increasingly failing as a defender of our security and civilization. It's perfectly true that he didn't campaign as a serious conservative, but nonetheless, that's what we needed, and we don't have it.
It's equally true that he was dealt a lousy hand by the 2000 Senate losses, the Jeffords betrayal, the media, Hurricane Katrina, most of the Euros (not to mention the Russians and Chinese), the MeCains, Grahams, et al in the Senate, and many other things. But it's also true that Bush played his hand poorly in many cases.
It's time to move on. This is a broken presidency that will produce very little good in its remaining two painful years. We need to find more serious conservative leaders and heal the badly injured conservative movement, as well as the sickly Republican party.