Posted on 08/08/2005 3:36:09 PM PDT by kristinn
A year-old article in a small California newspaper suddenly became one of the hottest media stories in the country today, generating wildly different interpretations from supporters and detractors of the Iraq war. This afternoon, the newspaper posted a story on its Web site, along with its original story, which may only add fuel to the fire.
The dispute is inspired by the ongoing protest vigil by Cindy Sheehan, whose son was killed in Iraq last year. Sheehan, whose son Casey was an Army specialist, remains camped out near President Bush' ranch in Crawford, Texas, determined to get a meeting with the commander-in-chief.
Today, at a press briefing about Air Force One en route to New Mexico, reporters asked repeatedly about Sheehan's request. White House spokesman Trent Duffy suggested the meeting was unlikely, since the president met with her last year. "And he was glad to meet with her at that time," Duffy said. "We always mourn the loss of every life."
He also pointed out that the White House had sent two top officials out to meet with her this weekend, and said she "expressed on more than three occasions that she was very appreciative for them coming out."
But it is Sheehan's meeting with Bush last summer in Seattle--and an alleged change in her opinion of it--that sparked controversy earlier today.
At the time of her meeting with Bush in June 2004, Sheehan's hometown paper, the Vacaville Reporter, covered her reaction. As charges flew this afternoon, David Henson, author of the original story, told E&P this afternoon, “I stand by my full report as an accurate reflection of the Sheehans at the time of the interview. I wouldn't want to speculate about Ms. Sheehan's point of view. My article accurately reflected her position at the time.”
For months, Sheehan has strongly criticized the president on the war, adding that she was disappointed in his demeanor -- he allegedly acted like he was at a party -- and comments during her 10-minute meeting with him. This morning, The Drudge Report published quotes from Henson's Vacaville story (which at that time was no longer on the paper's site). This, Drudge suggested, showed that Sheehan had changed her account of that meeting radically.
Drudge quoted Sheehan saying at that time about Bush, “I now know he's sincere about wanting freedom for the Iraqis. I know he's sorry and feels some pain for our loss. And I know he's a man of faith.”
He also noted that Sheehan had taken comfort from meeting. “That was the gift the president gave us, the gift of happiness, of being together,” Sheehan said, referring to the benefit to her family.
But liberal Web sites quickly pointed out that the original story also revealed that Sheehan and her husband, Patrick, had debated before the meeting whether to ask pointed questions about the war and whether to vent frustration over their son's sacrifice. Ultimately, the Sheehans decided not to criticize Bush in the meeting.
"We haven't been happy with the way the war has been handled," Cindy said at that time. "The president has changed his reasons for being over there every time a reason is proven false or an objective reached."
In re-posting the original story on the paper's Web site, Editor Diane Barney said: "It's important that readers see the full context of the story, instead of just selected portions. We stand by the story as an accurate reflection of the Sheehan's take on the meeting at the time it was published.'”
Great job people!!!!! Ya done goooooooooooooooood!
Oh, btw, just heard it on the Grapevine on FNC. Will post as soon as the transcript becomes available.
Kudo's to you Kristinn. You broke this story.
Lefties reserve the right to change history.
Another tool of the left gets drilled by the truth.
I hope so...cuz CNN's website has been having a "lovefest" with her protest story down in Crawford all day...you never hear about the families that are proud of their Children's sacrifice or that Bush was more than humbled when speaking to that sarcifice...
"Reality" just doesnt meet CNN's agenda...sad.
This was a team effort. Glad to be a part of it.
Score one for Kristinn--and Tgsltakoma! (I know she helped!)
"We haven't been happy with the way the war has been handled," Cindy said at that time. "The president has changed his reasons for being over there every time a reason is proven false or an objective reached."
I love this boilerplate line. When has any reason the president given for going into Iraq been suddenly negated or denied?? Sure we didn't find WMD, but that doesn't mean the president doesn't stand by the fact that we thought Saddam had them and could quickly develop them, the latter point being borne out by the Delfuer Report by the way.
Because the president offered a multi-faceted case for the need to liberate Iraq means he's somehow changing his story?? Could it be there was and continues to be more than just one reason for ending his regime?? Could it be that overtime and as the situation in Iraq changes and as we discover new things about Saddam's regime that new imperatives for ending his regime come about as well??
Can the simpleton liberals not grasp the idea that having more than one reason for doing something doesn't mean you're changing the rational? Of course these are the same DemoCRITES who first said Bush didn't make enough of a case for liberating Iraq when we were preparing to go in. Now they claim he made too much of a case. Which is it??
When will these people emerge from the pre-9-11 world they're stuck in where Saddam Hussein was to their way of thinking a great addition to the world community and where we didn't need to act to end the sources of instability and chaos in the Middle East that breed terrorism??
Good. Glad to see this story getting legs.
Goodgrief lady (Cindy). There is a list of goals.
This morning, 08/08/05, Bill Bennett specifically mentioned Free Republic in his discussion of the Reporter article.
He was quite clear that this group was helping to get the truth out about this sad woman.
G
HOOAH!!!
And the main reason for the war, eliminating Islamic fundamentalism as a viable worldview, isn't something Bush can directly say in public. Fortunately some people have figured it out.
I'll give the Associated Press partial credit. They spoke to Cindy Sheehan on Sunday and asked her about her meeting last year with President Bush, but they let her get away with her saying she was still in shock at the time.
Later, AP ran a later version of the Cindy Sheehan protest story that was balanced with a pro-Operation Iraqi Freedom military parent.
Move on ad to raise money for ads w/Cindy Sheehan
The link and the ad for $'s for C$ndy, says all that needs to be said about her.
"Support MoveOn.org Political Action
Help Air Cindy Sheehan's Ad "
https://www.moveonpac.org/donate/sheehan.html
I wonder if she has submitted her earnings/money from all of the $oro$ groups to the IRS and California Franchise Tax board?
Nice work! Good job!
This poor lady needs to get some help and the people exploiting her need to be exposed. They won't be happy till she lites herself on fire screaming out Bush=Hitler and 9-11 was a conspiracy to get her son murdered in Iraq for cheap oil!!
The fact that you left out Halliburton just shows how brainwashed you really are by the Bush-loving media...
< /sarcasm >
She is such an idiot.
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