Along a similar line, I'd like to share with you, and John, Mike, and Dan, a little of what occurred here on Thanksgiving. (John, I know you will not be within internet access for a while yet, but hope you will have time to read this when you return) ....
Had twenty-one people -- family, and friends who have no family in the area -- to Thanksgiving dinner today. Some (those from distances) arrived last night, and others arrived at various times today.
There were about fifteen of us sitting in the livingroom talking early this afternoon when one of my sisters and her family arrived, brimming over with excitement. 'Turn FoxNew on! The President had Thanksgiving dinner with the troops in Baghdad!' she yelled.
Let me preface what follows by saying that most of the people who were here today are here every Thanksgiving, and their political views cover the spectrum from extreme right (no personal applause, if you please :) to borderline Marxism. So I generally try my best to exclude politics from the day's conversation (cleaning up blood, especially familial blood, and especially on Thanksgiving, is not a favorite pastime of mine. :)
An amazing thing happened over the next couple of hours, and permeated the entire day and evening. For a few hours, a heterogeneous group of people was glued to the television watching and listening, over and over again, to detailed descriptions of how this surprise visit to a hot war zone was planned and executed, the contingencies, interviews with Baghdad correspondents, and finally (as kept being promised across the crawl at the bottom of the screen) the delayed videos of the President’s entrance and speech.
When the President said 'We did not charge hundreds of miles into the heart of Iraq, pay a bitter cost of casualties, defeat a ruthless dictator and liberate twenty-five million people only to retreat before a band of thugs and assassins' the room here was in loud, vocal agreement. I glanced over at the borderline Marxist (my brother-in-law, whom I love, as much as one can manage to love a political fool :) and he was completely silent. To say that such behavior is out of character would be a gross understatement). I doubt that his silence signified agreement with the President's statement, but I rather believe that, at that particular emotional moment in joanie's livingroom, he feared for his life should he say anything typically leftist (an explanation that is treasure enough :).
Almost to a person, we were brimming over with pride and appreciation. Proud that our President saw fit to be there. Proud that he rightfully told the soldiers that he couldn't think of anyone with whom he would rather be sharing Thanksgiving dinner. Fascinated by the imagined vision of Air Force One flying stealthily into Baghdad International without lights, phones or communications equipment. Proud to watch our President in the Bob Hope tent, serving his 'Old Ironsides' First Armored Division their meal. Proud to see Old Glory hanging everywhere from the walls. Some of us brought to tears by the incredible reaction of the troops when they saw their Commander-in-Chief step out before them. Proud that the Commander-in-Chief appeared to have to fight back his own tears amid the thunderous applause of his men. And thrilled beyond description at the idea that depraved Hussein-loyal terrorists are no doubt livid that the American President pulled off this visit under their noses, and without a hitch.
I also received an e-mail tonight that did my heart good, from an old friend (a Canadian). Part of it reads: 'My Dad was stationed in England before ending up in Holland during World War II. He would tell of the Queen Mother dropping by to see how the Canadian troops were doing. Air Raid sirens were wailing on one occasion and the Queen Mother said she 'didn't pay attention to all that'. The soldiers loved her for that. Your Commander-in-Chief shows he is made of the same stuff!'
Most of us -- here on this forum, and in my livingroom today -- have some reservations or fears about this war – be they political, military, economic, etc. But I don't think there is a (true) American alive who wasn't heartened seeing his President sharing Thanksgiving dinner with our troops. I can't speak for those courageous soldiers themselves (although I believe their applause and warm, jubilant behavior spoke for itself), but I can tell you (infinitely less important, but much more personal) that President Bush made Thanksgiving in this particular American home even more warm and memorable than it would otherwise have been. I believe each and every one of us here in this house today – even those whose patriotism I sometimes question – ended this celebration of Thanksgiving feeling a little more thankful, and a little more proud to be an American.
Less momentous, but gratifying .... on the flight over to Baghdad, one of the movies that was shown on Air Force One was 'Open Range.' It sure doesn't get much better than that (I wonder if another might have been 'High Noon'? Guess I'm pressing my luck, huh? :)
Thank you, Mr. President, from all of us. I'll be hitting the pillow tonight prouder than ever to be an American, and understanding, perhaps more than ever, the true meaning of this wonderful American holiday.
~ joanie 