[churchillbuff]

I know, this guy is a Leftie. But I myself wonder why there can't be more public respect show for the men and women in uniform who are dying in Iraq.

[squidly]

Obviously, Dubya can't go to all the funerals. I understand he makes a phone call to the families of the deceased. He has visited many of the wounded soldiers in the hospital.

I'm not sure whether or not this is an issue to anyone who isn't already trying to smear Dubya.

[Ann Archy]

You can't be that non-thinking....that Bush should go to dead soldier's FUNERALS??

Do you think families would like all that commotion wth the Secret Service and the PRESS when they are mourning????

It would ALL be about the Pres and not who it really should be, the soldier.

If he went to ONE he would have to go to ALL....do you think that would be a way to spend his valuable time when a war is going on??

[Fledermaus]

President's don't go to funerals of solidiers. Except for two cases of when the individual soldier was a personal friend of the President (LBJ, Nixon), no President has ever went to an individual soldiers funeral.

This is just another left wing ploy to use against Bush. And if Bush DID attend funerals, they'd attack him for that also.

Let the family bury their dead and then meet with the President is a memorial type setting or privately as is the custom. Bush, unlike Clinton, doesn't use himself as a prop for photo-ops when it comes to the military. You might see a picture or two of him thanking a solider at a military hospital, but you aren't going to see long video of him visiting that hospital.

[Young Rhino]

The Village Voice is expressing the Dimwit National Committee's wet dream, a photo opp that can be exploited in campaign commercials in the '04 race. Cynical, but true.

[JonH]

As a practical matter, when POTUS shows up with all the security and communications equipment, not to mention the press, it totally disrupts what should be a dignified service for family and friends.

Anyone with half a brain would understand the family would prefer to say their good byes to their loved one in privacy.

[VOA]

But I myself wonder why there can't be more public respect show for the men
and women in uniform who are dying in Iraq.

An article posted here in the Thanksgiving time-frame (and following posts)
seem to imply that Dubya is HIMSELF writing a letter to the family of each
service-person lost.
(Friendly request: please post if you have info to confirm/deny this)

Besides, if he showed up at a funeral, especially if the bereaved family and friends
were postitive to Dubya...the press would say he showed up to trivialize their loss.

You've probably heard the joke about what the news report would be if Dubya
walked on water..."Bush Can't Swim"

[Rome2000]

But I myself wonder why there can't be more public respect show for the men and women in uniform who are dying in Iraq.

The leftists chant "Show us the bodies, Show us the bodies" for one and only one reason.

To undermine support for the war and a Republican President.

The reason 57,000 Americans died in vain, FOR NOTHING, in Vietnam is because the Johnson administartion allowed the press to "show us the bodies", something that didn't happen in all of the previous wars and will never be allowed to happen again as long as the GOP controls the White House.

The best way to respect our brave soldiers sacrifice is to ensure they don't die in vain.

[CyberAnt]

I don't think people realize what they're asking when they think the President should attend these funerals.

First of all .. what about all the security required for any high level appearance .. let alone that of the President .. remember this .. when the president attends a funeral, all the mourners would have to be SEARCHED BEFORE THEY COULD ATTEND THE FUNERAL.

[ozzymandus]

How many funerals did FDR, JFK, LBJ, etc, go to during their wars? Or is that not germain to the Bush-bashing?

[Swordmaker]

Funerals are for the family and friends left behind to honor and remember the person who has died.

If the President of the United States attended a funeral, the event becomes an event about HIM... the media and protestors would follow, interupting and disturbing the dignity of the occasion. The security requirements alone would disrupt the solemn occasion.

No President should attend the funeral of fallen soldiers. Attending a memorial service for ALL soldiers is appropriate.

This is merely another lefty assault on President Bush.