Lehigh Valley opinions differ on speech [Peter Jennings' Focus Group]

Louise Seng had as big a stake as anyone in what President Bush said in his State of the Union address Tuesday night. As the wife of an Army reservist who is waiting at Fort Dix, N.J., to be deployed, and the mother of a 21-year-old Marine whose ship is somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean and probably headed toward the Middle East, Seng had a lot riding on what George Bush had to say about the United States being on the brink of war with Iraq.

''My husband is very gung-ho about his mission,'' said Seng, with a resigned sigh. ''I have to support him because I love him. But I'm not convinced he isn't fighting a war to vindicate George Bush's father.''

This woman should support her husband and daughter by watching current events a little more closely. That response is from someone who is too lazy to find out what has taken place in Iraq over the last 12 years. Or, most probably she should ask her husband and daughter why they are doing what they are doing. (Only now it's too late.) My wife and I have two sons involved in the coming war, and my wife can tell you exactly why they are going.

Through tears, Seng added: ''If my husband and daughter are going over there, I want more proof than he offered. I have a big investment in it.''
Well Louise, what kind of evidence would you like? The kind that reveals an on the ground source, thus effectively imposing a death sentence on him? Or the kind of evidence that will inform the Iraqis of a known stockpile of chem/bio weapons, thusly allowing them to move them so they'll be in good shape for use against your husband and daughter?

See, it's kind of a funny thing with the military, when you sign up, you don't assume the right to be convinced to your expectations before deployment. Most people are aware of that before they take on the obligation.

''I was hoping he would say he's sending everyone home and there was no evidence against Saddam Hussein,''

While you're at it you might as well have hoped that he'd say that he'd appropriated One Billion Dollars to give to you tax free. Since neither have any basis in reality, I think they have an equal likelihood of occurring.

-As always, thanks for the ping Dr. S!

Owl_Eagle

”Guns Before Butter.”

"QUOTE: "Lehigh senior Brittney Crystal, who watched the address with her four roommates, said they all agreed that Bush's comments were ''a little too harsh'' for their liking.""

Sorry, but I cannot bring myself to lend creedence to anyone named Brittney!

"ABC's Peter Jennings said the Lehigh Valley in PA was chosen because of its traditional blue-collar, union households and high-tech white-collar workers. Pennsylvania will be stomping grounds for the presidential race in 2004, he said."

Actually, Lehigh Valley college students were chosen because, like most college students, they are still looking at this world through rose-colored glasses.

What would the response have been if they had chosen a Lehigh Valley VFW club?

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