The bookshelves of his West Wing office were bare as Michael Gerson, best known as the author of President Bush’s most memorable speeches, satdown to reflect on his last day at the White House.

Asked on Wednesday to name his favorite presidential address, he said without hesitation, “the cathedral speech.” He was referring to the National Cathedral in Washington, where Bush gave a speech on Sept. 14, 2001, that began: “We are here in the middle hour of our grief.”