Posted on 08/06/2005 1:39:55 PM PDT by kristinn
Thanks---for the pep talk...and perspective on the polling #s.
Thank God President Bush IS POTUS until 2009!
You are so right...that is why Free Republic is so important...
I wish North Texas had a freeper group, and that my schedule would let me help out...
Although, from reading that guys "blog", and having been in the heat today...Miss Cindy and her traveling band ARE surely miserable....lol (but not as miserable as the other troops are, that are still in Iraq fighting for the exact same thing her son fought for)...
Txsleuth, you are correct about Cindy Sheehan having already met with the president; and most of the reports about that meeting are as you say, Sheehan says that it was a very bad meeting.
Except for this report, by reporter David Henson.
You have to buy the archived article, from The Reporter.com's website (and I don't do credit cards). But I found the text of the article from another site. Read this:
Sheehans meet President Bush
By David Henson/Staff Writer
Thursday, June 24, 2004 - Since learning in April that their son, Army Spc. Casey Sheehan, had been killed in Iraq, life has been everything but normal for the Sheehan family of Vacaville.
Casey's parents, Cindy and Patrick, as well as their three children, have attended event after event honoring the soldier both locally and abroad, received countless letters of support and fielded questions from reporters across the country.
"That's the way our whole lives have been since April 4," Patrick said. "It's been surreal."
But none of that prepared the family for the message left on their answering machine last week, inviting them to have a face-to-face meeting with President George W. Bush at Fort Lewis near Seattle.
Surreal soon seemed like an understatement, as the Sheehans - one of 17 families who met Thursday with Bush - were whisked in a matter of days to the Army post and given the VIP treatment from the military. But as their meeting with the president approached, the family was faced with a dilemma as to what to say when faced with Casey's commander-in-chief.
"We haven't been happy with the way the war has been handled," Cindy said. "The president has changed his reasons for being over there every time a reason is proven false or an objective reached."
The 10 minutes of face time with the president could have given the family a chance to vent their frustrations or ask Bush some of the difficult questions they have been asking themselves, such as whether Casey's sacrifice would make the world a safer place.
But in the end, the family decided against such talk, deferring to how they believed Casey would have wanted them to act. In addition, Pat noted that Bush wasn't stumping for votes or trying to gain a political edge for the upcoming election.
"We have a lot of respect for the office of the president, and I have a new respect for him because he was sincere and he didn't have to take the time to meet with us," Pat said.
Sincerity was something Cindy had hoped to find in the meeting. Shortly after Casey died, Bush sent the family a form letter expressing his condolences, and Cindy said she felt it was an impersonal gesture.
"I now know he's sincere about wanting freedom for the Iraqis," Cindy said after their meeting. "I know he's sorry and feels some pain for our loss. And I know he's a man of faith."
The meeting didn't last long, but in their time with Bush, Cindy spoke about Casey and asked the president to make her son's sacrifice count for something. They also spoke of their faith.
While meeting with Bush, as well as Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, was an honor, it was almost a tangent benefit of the trip. The Sheehans said they enjoyed meeting the other families of fallen soldiers, sharing stories, contact information, grief and support.
For some, grief was still visceral and raw, while for others it had melted into the background of their lives, the pain as common as breathing. Cindy said she saw her reflection in the troubled eyes of each.
"It's hard to lose a son," she said. "But we (all) lost a son in the Iraqi war."
The trip had one benefit that none of the Sheehans expected.
For a moment, life returned to the way it was before Casey died. They laughed, joked and bickered playfully as they briefly toured Seattle.
For the first time in 11 weeks, they felt whole again.
"That was the gift the president gave us, the gift of happiness, of being together," Cindy said.
So, which is it? Was she lying then? Or is she lying now?
He has already meet with her once before. And if he did meet with her she wouldn't stop bad mouthing him or dishonoring her son. So I don't see Bush giving this POS anymore of his valuable time.
WHOA---sounds like I might have been a little right when I said that the publicity and hob-nobbing may have gotten her. I bet one of the anti-war groups, like the one sponsoring her bus today....Veterans for Peace, saw that one negative line about how Cindy didn't like the way President Bush was handling the war...
and jumped on it---and all of that attention helped Cindy from laying at home grieving for her son...and gave her life "purpose"....unfortunately, the message she is spewing now is "bought and paid for" by the Soros' type groups...
You notice her husband Patrick, who seemed genuinely happy to have met the POTUS, and respectful....is not with her on her IMPEACH BUSH tour...maybe she can follow ole Jane Fonda's bus with hers...
I withdraw my prediction.
Ya kinda had to withdraw it....but I know it was made before other information had come out about her previous dealings with President Bush...
so...no harm, no foul...LOL
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