Seriously, though, this is one of my favorite pictures of the President.
Posted on 08/07/2005 8:17:19 AM PDT by tgslTakoma
Since learning in April that their son, Army Spc. Casey Sheehan, had been killed in Iraq, life has been everything but normal for the Sheehan family of Vacaville. Casey's parents, Cindy and Patrick, as well as their three children, have attended event after event honoring the soldier both locally and abroad, received countless letters of support and fielded questions from reporters across the country.
"That's the way our whole lives have been since April 4," Patrick said. "It's been surreal."
But none of that prepared the family for the message left on their answering machine last week, inviting them to have a face-to-face meeting with President George W. Bush at Fort Lewis near Seattle.
Surreal soon seemed like an understatement, as the Sheehans - one of 17 families who met Thursday with Bush - were whisked in a matter of days to the Army post and given the VIP treatment from the military. But as their meeting with the president approached, the family was faced with a dilemma as to what to say when faced with Casey's commander-in-chief.
"We haven't been happy with the way the war has been handled," Cindy said. "The president has changed his reasons for being over there every time a reason is proven false or an objective reached."
The 10 minutes of face time with the president could have given the family a chance to vent their frustrations or ask Bush some of the difficult questions they have been asking themselves, such as whether Casey's sacrifice would make the world a safer place.
But in the end, the family decided against such talk, deferring to how they believed Casey would have wanted them to act. In addition, Pat noted that Bush wasn't stumping for votes or trying to gain a political edge for the upcoming election.
"We have a lot of respect for the office of the president, and I have a new respect for him because he was sincere and he didn't have to take the time to meet with us," Pat said.
Sincerity was something Cindy had hoped to find in the meeting. Shortly after Casey died, Bush sent the family a form letter expressing his condolences, and Cindy said she felt it was an impersonal gesture.
"I now know he's sincere about wanting freedom for the Iraqis," Cindy said after their meeting. "I know he's sorry and feels some pain for our loss. And I know he's a man of faith."
The meeting didn't last long, but in their time with Bush, Cindy spoke about Casey and asked the president to make her son's sacrifice count for something. They also spoke of their faith.
While meeting with Bush, as well as Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, was an honor, it was almost a tangent benefit of the trip. The Sheehans said they enjoyed meeting the other families of fallen soldiers, sharing stories, contact information, grief and support.
For some, grief was still visceral and raw, while for others it had melted into the background of their lives, the pain as common as breathing. Cindy said she saw her reflection in the troubled eyes of each.
"It's hard to lose a son," she said. "But we (all) lost a son in the Iraqi war."
The trip had one benefit that none of the Sheehans expected.
For a moment, life returned to the way it was before Casey died. They laughed, joked and bickered playfully as they briefly toured Seattle.
For the first time in 11 weeks, they felt whole again.
"That was the gift the president gave us, the gift of happiness, of being together," Cindy said.
You read this like a book, the MSM are using that poor woman and it's down right disgraceful!
Brilliant Kudos PING !
Do a Google search on Cindy Sheehan and every Moonbat website has used her
here's one that ironically is called "The Amazing Hypocrites" on the ironic website "Truthout" it has an 8-minute video featuring Ms Sheehan and some former soldiers and Marines protesting at Fort Bragg.
Her written op-ed used the Terry Schaivo case to attack Pres Bush and Tom Delay.
http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/38/9839
Behind his fuhrer? She has HAD to be embraced by the left with their lies and insinuations about Bush (Hitler). How dare they? She sounds like she's really gone over the edge. I feel sorry for her loss and her grief but this is wayyyyy overboard.
Next she'll be riding the veggie oil bus with her friend Jane!
Nor in the journalists!
Exactly! She doesn't describe OUR President Bush but one from her own deadly imagination. Sorry soul.
Excellent point. If Pres. Bush was anything like her description, the press would've known it long ago and would be hammering us with it at every chance.
Now ON DRUDGE.COM
PROTESTING SOLDIER MOM CHANGED STORY ON BUSH
Mon Aug 08 2005 10:11:07 ET
The mother of a fallen U.S. soldier who is holding a roadside peace vigil near President Bush's ranch -- has dramatically changed her account about what happened when she met the commander-in-chief last summer!
Cindy Sheehan, 48, of Vacaville, Calif., who last year praised Bush for bringing her family the "gift of happiness," took to the nation's TV outlets this weekend to declare how Bush "killed an indispensable part of our family and humanity."
CINDY 2004
THE REPORTER of Vacaville, CA published an account of Cindy Sheehan's visit with the president at Fort Lewis near Seattle on June 24, 2004:
"'I now know he's sincere about wanting freedom for the Iraqis,' Cindy said after their meeting. 'I know he's sorry and feels some pain for our loss. And I know he's a man of faith.'
"The meeting didn't last long, but in their time with Bush, Cindy spoke about Casey and asked the president to make her son's sacrifice count for something. They also spoke of their faith.
"The trip had one benefit that none of the Sheehans expected.
"For a moment, life returned to the way it was before Casey died. They laughed, joked and bickered playfully as they briefly toured Seattle.
For the first time in 11 weeks, they felt whole again.
"'That was the gift the president gave us, the gift of happiness, of being together,' Cindy said."
CINDY 2005
Sheehan's current comments are a striking departure.
She vowed on Sunday to continue her protest until she can personally ask Bush: "Why did you kill my son?"
In an interview on CNN, she claimed Bush "acted like it was party" when she met him last year.
"It was -- you know, there was a lot of things said. We wanted to use the time for him to know that he killed an indispensable part of our family and humanity. And we wanted him to look at the pictures of Casey.
"He wouldn't look at the pictures of Casey. He didn't even know Casey's name. He came in the room and the very first thing he said is, 'So who are we honoring here?' He didn't even know Casey's name. He didn't want to hear it. He didn't want to hear anything about Casey. He wouldn't even call him 'him' or 'he.' He called him 'your loved one.'
Every time we tried to talk about Casey and how much we missed him, he would change the subject. And he acted like it was a party.
BLITZER: Like a party? I mean...
SHEEHAN: Yes, he came in very jovial, and like we should be happy that he, our son, died for his misguided policies. He didn't even pretend like somebody...
END
On her current media tour, Sheehan has not been asked to explain her twist on Bush; from praise to damnation!
Developing...
Sheehan is a TOOL
Period
Seriously, though, this is one of my favorite pictures of the President.
OHH Very interesting
Let see one year before she praising Dubya then now she is media ho want extended her fifteen minutes of fame
Mine, too. No empty eyes there.
This happens often enough that I suspect Mr. Hume or one of his associates lurks at FR.
Where did you find this....are you sure it is her?
I am asking because I may write a column about this. I will google all this stuff once I get back from lunch.
DrDeb, can you help out here. Is the list I posted specifically Sheehan, or is it a larger organization she belonged to?
I found the original posting, and it appears to be a list of things that Veterans for Peace did.
Cindy only joined them recently as far as we know, though we do not know that for sure.
I do not have any evidence she ever gave any money to any politician according to opensecrets.org.
She may be telling the truth about not being political before.
That does not mean this is any less disgusting.
Now on O'reilly.
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