It’s true that Pres. Bush always spoke to the families of our fallen heros WITHOUT photographers present. He would not say what he said to them, but it’s reported by the families that he shed tears with them.
In 2005 I was involved in a forum with President Bush and when it was over my family got to have pictures taken with him. After our picture taking was over he excused himself because he was going to spend some time with a few families whose sons were killed in Iraq.....the families were in a private room and the President went into there alone with no reporters etc. He spent at least 30 minutes with them and when he came out it was obvious they had all been crying.....I have never forgotten this and I know how much this must have meant to those families.
And some of the families shared what President Bush did. He hugged them, listened to their stories, gave them comfort, and wept with them.
I miss having a real Commander in Chief. I miss having a real President.
It was nice that he met with the families. I just think that it would have been nice to meet the fallen as they returned to US soil.