Bush, Sheehans share moments (The Story Before Cindy Sheehan Became a Tool for the Left)

The Reporter (Vacaville, CA) ^ | June 24, 2004 | David Henson

[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.

[daybreakcoming]

Whatever she was previously - she is raving nuts now. Keep her away from the President and/or his Cabinet.

[armymarinemom]

Bump. Now back outside.

[lastchance]

These days there is no class in Mainstream journalism.

[Txsleuth]

Her description on Wolfie's show about her meeting with President Bush last year, was digusting....

Wolf seemed taken back by it---especially the part where she claimed that Bush treated the meeting "like a party"--and yet he didn't call her on it...just acted like of course she is telling the truth...blech!!!!

You watch, there will be more and more of these cases on TV, because they see how much publicity she has gotten..

Also, George Stephanopolous had on the same two parents that Chrissy from Hardball had on the night their son's were declared dead in Iraq...with Dennis Kucinich...

Again, EXPLOITATIVE!!!

[billnaz]

I'm sorry for this lady's loss, but in her grief she forgot that her son was killed by the enemy. No one else is responsible for her loss. I've seen this sort of reaction before in other grieving parents.

No one twisted her son's arm to go into the armed forces. I'm starting to wonder if this lady is your typical sixties moonbat liberal. Perhaps she raised her son on a steady diet of America-bashing, and he joined the army to get away from that stuff.

[maica]

Whatever she was previously - she is raving nuts now. Keep her away from the President and/or his Cabinet.


@@@@@

Agreed. And the longer she "camps out" in that hot Texas sun, the crazier she is going to get.

[maica]

On Wolf's show she said that her son knew that she did not support the war. She said that he did not support the war, but did support his buddies.

Imagine sending a son to a war zone without giving him unequivocal support. YUK!!

[maica]

Revisionist history:

Sheehan said the June 2004 private meeting with the President went from bad to worse to a nightmare when Bush acted like he didn’t even want to know her name. She said Bush kept referring to her as ‘Ma’ or ‘Mom’ while he "put on a phony act," saying things like ‘Mom, I can’t even imagine losing a loved one, a mother or a father or a sister or a brother.’ 

"The whole meeting was simply bizarre and disgusting, designed to intimidate instead of providing compassion. He didn’t even know our names," said Sheehan. "Finally I got so upset I just looked him in the eye, saying ‘I think you can imagine losing someone. You have two daughters. Imagine losing them?’ After I said that he just looked at me, looked at me with no feeling or caring in his eyes at all." 

Sheehan said what really upset her about the meeting is that Bush appeared to become annoyed and even angry at her daughter Carley, 25, who also attended the White House get-together.

&&&&&

Some people will never be satisfied. If I read this article correctly, the whole family was invited to Fort Lewis for some recognition of their sacrifice, and the daughter also represented her family at a different event for the same purpose. Now she is at Crawford! She is a tool.

[TGOGary]

Thank you my friend. I am forwarding this on to a few people now.

Gary

[billnaz]

Thank you for watching CNN so I don't have to.

Let's see, he was a soldier but he didn't support the war. I was a soldier for a long time, and I don't know of a single soldier who has ever "supported a war." As the old sixties saying went, "War is bad for children and other living things." But when your country calls, you serve, and sometimes you have to do things that you wouldn't ordinarily do. You accomplish your mission, and if you're lucky you come home in one piece. Sometimes you lose comrades. You stop to mourn them for a few minutes, and then you drive on.

I have a feeling that the words "Duty, Honor, and Country" were never uttered in this lady's house.

Sorry for the rambling. I tend to do that when I get upset.

[skr]

Thank you for your post. The stark contrast makes me wonder about her mental and emotional health. She seems to be spiralling downward from her diet of hate. I hope her son never knew that she was capable of this. However much she works to destroy the sacrifice her son made, it can never erase his standing in the eyes of those who understand who and why we are fighting.

[maica]

You're welcome!


One of those serendipity things -- I happened to be in someone else's home when this portion of Wolf's show came on. The mother looks Terrible! and I would not believe a word she said, including what her soldier son's feelings were about his deployment.

[Mike Darancette]

This women was also part of Conyers kangaroo court

Isn't Conyers the RAT that wants to start up the draft in order to get this woman's other kids?

[Albion Wilde]

Thanks for the ping!

[Trust but Verify]

Well now I'm confused. In the first article, they met at Fort Lewis near Seattle. In the later one story, the meeting took place at the White House. Were there two meetings?

[Mike Darancette]

Carly Sheehan said her brother was active in his Catholic church, spending 10 years as an altar server and serving in the youth ministry.

That's all he wanted to do was serve God and his country his whole life,” Carly Sheehan said. “He was a boy scout from age 6 or 7 and an Eagle Scout. It was kind of a natural progression to go into the military from that. He said he was enjoying the military because it was just like the boy scouts but they got guns

---- Associated Press

These are his sister Carly's words then. What she says now dishoners his service and paints him and all who serve as dupes.

[heleny]

I'm confused. Did Cindy Sheehan meet President Bush twice in June 2004?

From the article at the beginning of this thread, she met the President at Fort Lewis in Washington state in June 2004:
inviting them to have a face-to-face meeting with President George W. Bush at Fort Lewis near Seattle.
...
The meeting didn't last long, but in their time with Bush, Cindy spoke
...
For a moment, life returned to the way it was before Casey died. They laughed, joked and bickered playfully as they briefly toured Seattle.

From post 7, she met the President at the White House in Washington,D.C., in June 2004:
Sheehan received an invitation to meet privately with President Bush at the White House ...
...
Later I met with some ... who were at the White House the same day and, ... they all felt the same way I did.

[Sam Hill]

"Fenton Communications actions in the 2004 Election"

Fenton Communications is literally a MoveOn.org front.

There have been a number of Frontpage articles about them. But any kind of Googling will also bear it out very quickly.

[q_an_a]

thanks for this post. thanks for your extra effort. this is what helps keep us informed and certain we are backing a man who is consistent in his beliefs and actions. Again thank you.

[Sam Hill]

Cindy Sheehan, GSFfP, being sworn in

 

at Conyer's Hearing on Downing Street Minutes, June 16, 2005

(L to R) Ambassador Joseph Wilson, Cindy Sheehan, founder of Gold Star Families for American Peace, Ray McGovern, a former CIA agent and John Bonifaz, co-founder, After Downing Street.org are sworn in before the start of an unofficial forum on the Downing Street Minutes on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC June 16, 2005. The document, created in 2002 for British Prime Minister Tony Blair said that United States President George W. Bush was intent on invading Iraq and that intelligence was being manipulated to support Bushs interests. REUTERS/Chris Kleponis

As we know, Wilson and McGovern have long since been stooges for the ultra-left. McGovern's operation (VIPS) calls for CIA and other intel employees to LEAK secrets to try to hurt our troops and our war effort.