Dear Mr. President:

Tomorrow is your last day, and now it's time to say thanks. For eight years you have been our president, and in that time we saw you rise in triumph and fall into despair. But through it all you were real; you were human.

And that's asking a lot from a politician.

We know you haven't been the most pious president, but you're in good company. Your hero, John F. Kennedy, cheated on his wife, too. You just got caught.

Although there are those who say that you will be most remembered for your affair with Monica Lewinsky, your contributions as president are too substantial to have your legacy linked only to a White House sex scandal.

We have seen eight years of economic prosperity. The nation has had the lowest unemployment rate in 30 years.

The economic boom that you have shepherded created 22 million new jobs for Americans.

Instead of contending with a $290 billion annual deficit, Congress is now fighting over what to do with the projected $5 trillion budget surplus.

You have presided during an era of great global economic growth and used it to America's advantage.

For the past eight years, we have witnessed an exponential boom in the technology industry, ushering in a digital age that has revolutionized the country as well as the world.

You have kept relative peace and although your foreign policy was unclear at first, your dedication to solving the Herculean task of mediating a peace agreement between Israel and Palestine is still admirable.

Among the most recent presidents, your outreach to America's diverse communities is unparalleled, especially to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community.

At the same time, we realize that you have had your share of disappointments.

Your promise to reform Social Security and Medicare were not realized.

Two other health reform measures, a patients' bill of rights and a prescription drug benefit for Medicare beneficiaries, were defeated in Congress.

Even in your darkest hour, you have remained resilient.

You have shown us your strengths as well as your weaknesses. You have humanized the office of the presidency.

Your legacy may be mixed but for what it's worth, we are sad that you, your love for the job and your exuberance are leaving the White House.

Thanks for the past eight years, and maybe we'll see you in the White House again in another four years — this time, as the First Gentleman.