THE GWB Bridge, from President Washington to President Bush

In what could be his last act as president, President George W. Bush’s handlers are trying to rename the famed George Washington Bridge which spans the Hudson River connecting Northern New Jersey to New York City. The George Washington Bridge has often been referred to as the “GWB” and Mr. Bush is said to have made an inquiry to have the Bridge’s name changed to the “GWB for Freedom Bridge” an obvious play on Mr. Bush’s initials.
White House Press Secretary Dana Perino on Tuesday when asked about the push to change said “In the wake of the 9/11 tragedy, we believe renaming the bridge for the men and women who risked their lives to rush up the World Trade Center seems like a fitting tribute, since this is the most visible arm of the New York Port Authority, we find a tribute to the freedom the Port Authority officers fought for when they went up into those towers.” Local politicians on both the heavily Democratic New Jersey’s Bergen County and New York County are up in arms saying that the bridge represents local culture and has its name from then General George Washington who spent months fighting the British armies from outposts on the Palisades.

Tonya Townson of Englewood Cliffs New Jersey speaking with local CBS news channel 2 said that changing the name of the bridge “was an insult to everything that President Washington stood for…by changing the name of the bridge from a great president to the initials of this incompetent fool”.
Not everybody had the same take on the possible renaming; Manhattan Resident Anthony Lasorto said that “Just like President Washington, President Bush is a general who fought for freedom against threats, imperial and terror based. I think it’s a fitting tribute to two leaders of this country.”

A name change like this would not be unprecedented by the Port Authority, in 2002 the PA officially renamed Newark International Airport to Newark Liberty Airport as a tribute to the fallen heroes of the 9/11 tragedies. Naming rights for the Bridge are held exclusively with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Repeated calls to the Port Authority have not been returned.